Miracles do Happen! in New Immigrant

Just when we had given up hope, Penny arose from her fears and took Jack to tour his soon-to-be residence. Both left elated! Jack said, "Let's go tell the Kids!" so they did.

Jack liked his large, private room and the outdoor space he can use. He can ask for food any time of the day (he loves ice cream) and was urged to do so. Penny was invited and urged to come for meals (free). They can
even bring their cats! Penny can spend nights, take Jack home or out. Staff chatted kindly with Jack and asked him what he liked (watching football).

Afterwards they were making plans for the future, talking about how to
spend all the good days Jack has left. They have always talked openly
about Jack's brain problems and his delusions. One day Jack turned
to Tom and said, "Sometimes Penny doesn't believe me." None of us
had considered Jack's frustration in this way. Tom described to Jack that his delusions are like "dreaming with your eyes open," likening it to
awaking from a dream and sometimes confusing that with the real
world. Adding that is why they couldn't "believe" them. Not that it
"stuck" but it was another tool to use. The main problems focus on
his insistence on following through on his delusions: "I need to mail this immediately." "Tomorrow I have to go into work." Then he becomes
frustrated that he isn't allowed to drive himself to take care of things.

Another day Jack asked angrily, "Who is in charge here?" Tom had to
say that Penny was "because of your health." We'd never thought of
that frustration either. Jack had always been the pro-active, in charge
husband.

One of their continuing joys is to sleep together naked as they've always done. Tom arrived one day and Penny cheerfully announced, "Well, we
both had orgasms!" I add that to emphasize there can also be laughter
and good times between them and there is more communication and
understanding than you'd expect.

Jack's natural outgoing disposition serves him well, even now. Penny's
reclusiveness does not.

Jack told Penny, "I didn't like how it was this week with all the fighting,"
as Penny hit the wall with her frustrations. Now I think they see the
care center helping to give them the needed distance so they can
better enjoy themselves.

Last updated August 17, 2014