Excitement

For a variety of reasons, my family and I are not traveling to my in-laws for Thanksgiving this year.  It happens every few years.  Knowinng we will be in town and I have available vacation days, I asked  Mom if she and Lyn would like to come join us for Thanksgiving.  

We discussed the challenges of traveling with Lyn, of her potential for tears and confusion, of going through security and working with the TSA agents to keep things calm for Lyn.  Lyn is going to cry no matter what happens.  Crying is a near daily event in her own home now so crying here is really no different.  She is going to experience confusion as she does more now in her own environment.  Going through security will require patience and a running dialogue of what she needs to anticipate next.  Documentation can be made available to TSA if they question Mom's statement of  "She has dementia."  After all this, I said that if it was too much, tell me and will fly out to spend a week with them.  Mom said "We are coming."

They have purchased their tickets.  I will be arranging a portable oxygen condenser to be on-hand for the week they will spend with us.  I have scheduled to have the whole week off and the three of us will spend our days together until the kids get out of school for the holiday weekend.  We'll tackle our Christmas shopping while the kids are not with us.  I will cook and we will stuff ourselves.  It will be a low key, quiet and relaxing week. 

I recognize that it is a big effort for them to travel these days.  We all know it will be challenging for Lyn.  However, they want to do this and we want them here.  

Lyn is excited at the thought of coming to visit us for the first time since her diagnosis.  I think Mom is too.  I know I am!