Monday, February 24, 2014

Nothing Like Friends !

For those of you that haven't yet seen Tal since his stroke or perhaps not recently, you might want to plan a visit.

It's not like these are his last days or anything like that. Goodness knows, Mom and I think he is in a stable place physically speaking. He is on hospice and has been for some six months now. What hospice means for Pop is that he will never be going to the hospital ever again. He is as comfortable as he can be, given his situation.        

One thing I've noticed ? Pop's friends have an easier time helping him get back to his old self than newer friends of whom he can be wary. It's as if he doesn't have to figure out who you are ! Seeing a friend, he can rely on his memory of what you have done together, of what he knows about you from the past. Imagine just how reassuring that is for him !

He knows he can trust his friends.

Trust is a big issue for Pop ! Trust is a big issue for anyone with Anosognosia.

Especially when Pop is not quite sure about new people in his environment. Why are they talking to me ? Are they someone trying to impress me or someone I should be trying to impress ? Where do these people fall in the hierarchy of importance to my situation ?

With his old friends, things fall back into place very quickly as he doesn't ask those questions. He just picks up from where you two last left off.  Even if that was twenty years ago !

It goes without saying that there is alot to get used to, to organize beforehand. Speaking one on one, sitting on his righthand side, allowing time for him to answer. Coming at a good time when he is rested. But it's all doable. And very much appreciated.

As you can imagine, for anyone with their intelligence intact, days that lack meaningful conversation are deadly indeed.

Dream of Flight Family Gathering January 2014, Romig House, Zocalo :  
    
Part 2 of Dream of Flight Family : Ken, Fiona, Suzanne, Virginia, Tiger, David and Rob  


4 comments:

  1. Hi im student studying in Hongik Univ.
    can i ask something about ETERNAL SMILE?

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  2. Can i get your phone number or email address?

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    Replies
    1. Hi! You are welcome to email me/us via the blog of course! Up there on the right hand side of the blog header, there should be a "Contact" place.

      I'd very much like to do a post about "Eternal Smile" with you ! Do you have any recent pictures?

      I'm also looking for a picture of Tal Streeter with a butterfly on his shoulder taken by someone in Korea some years ago !

      I'd very much appreciate your help in locating that !

      Lissa, his daughter

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  3. Working on a post about the sculpture this Hongik student is refering to. I'd certainly appreciate all writing that someone has found or can add, about it.

    http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv97/parisflight/edit_20120909162733.jpg
    [URL=http://s673.photobucket.com/user/parisflight/media/edit_20120909162733.jpg.html][IMG]http://i673.photobucket.com/albums/vv97/parisflight/edit_20120909162733.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


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