The Internet at my work was down so I ended up coming home early. The first 3 questions Grandpa asked me were, "You're a little late aren't you?" "You usually come earlier, don't you?" and "Isn't our cat pretty?" I made pot roast (or at least microwaved it), corn and mashed potatoes for us three, but Carol wasn't feeling well, which of course just means she doesn't want to eat dinner and have to explain that to me. I wrapped her plate up and put it in the fridge for later.
So, Grandpa and I sat down to a beautiful meal. I knew today was going to be a little less normal by the previous questions, but I was not prepared for when he decided to put his coke over his mashed potatoes. He immediately realized he had made a mistake, and said, "Oh, hell," but I pretended not to notice so he pretended he didn't do it. "How's it tasting?" I couldn't refrain from asking after ten minutes. "Tastes good." He didn't finish the meal, said he was full, asked me if I wanted the rest of his. "That's OK, you put a little more pepper on your food than I prefer, thank you though." "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT." "It's fine. I had my share anyway."
After the meal, and discretely disposing the remainder of the coke roast, I went to the store real quick. When I walked back into the kitchen, there was Grandpa propped up at the counter with his salt and pepper, dipping a doughnut into potato salad. I didn't utter a word to this either. I just got his medicine for him and set to work refilling their medicine dispensers. Then the argument we have about every 2 weeks started. Calmly at first, of course, "I'm not going to take these tonight. I'll start tomorrow," he'll say. "It's been 24 hours since you took it. Dr Bob said you're supposed to take it everyday," I reply. "Oh, you're talking to Dr. Bob?" "No, but it's the arrangement that you have with him to stay healthy. You're my only Grandparent and I want you to stick around for awhile." "I'm not your grandparent." "Well, if you're Jeanne's dad, and I'm her daughter, then you're my grandfather." He thinks about this for a minute and I actually think my head is going to explode. "Yea, she sounds familiar." Then we sit in silence for awhile as I contemplate my next move. I have a good chance of him not remembering what we were just arguing about, so I have a chance to have a better outcome. "I think your medicine is next to you to take," I start. "Um, no, I think I'll wait for tomorrow to take it." Damn. "Well, Dr Bob said you're supposed to take it every 24 hours and it's been 24 hours." " I haven't taken any medicine in 5 days- it's not a big deal." "Dr. Bob wouldn't prescribe you a medicine if it wasn't a big deal." "Well Dr Bob isn't a real doctor." What?!? "I'm not sure he could write prescriptions if he wasn't a doctor. I'M not a doctor, I'm just a concerned Granddaughter. I want you to stay healthy." Yes, I did use the same line I give Carol. "You're not my granddaughter!" "Um, yes, I am?! and I would really appreciate it if my grandfather kept himself healthy." "Yea, like you care," he counters. "I do care. Otherwise I wouldn't be here." "THEN YOU CAN JUST LEAVE." "FINE, MAYBE I WILL!" Fantastic, Erika. Way to not take things personally.
I call my mother and put her on the phone with him then go seek out Carol to refill her medicine. Where I find that she has not actually taken her medicine today either. I inform her of this, but she goes and gets the calendar that says she has taken it. She says she's very good at it and never misses. I explain that I know she's good at it. That's why I know she missed today because we keep such good track of it and never miss a day. She's still showing me the calendar and reminding me that it is a 24 hour patch so if we did it this morning then we don't have to do it now. I grab a glass of water, put it in her hand, put pills in front of her and maneuver a new patch on her. I'm not arguing with anyone else about medicine.
In the kitchen I see my phone next to the shot glass of un-taken pills. I re-phone my mother who was left waiting for me on the line. The scoop was that he had agreed to take the pills but told her he couldn't find them. I get him a glass for his water in the cabinet and find his glass of milk he had earlier there, too. I keep her on the phone as I go into the lion's den. Here he takes the pills and the water easily... and now I sort of feel like I just explained a bizarre dream I just had. This is why tonight's blog is going to end with-...and then I woke up.
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