Strayed Much?

I've pretty much strayed away from how I wanted to use this blog. I wanted to talk about my Dad and the family and how we are handling how life is with someone who has dementia like my Dad has. I guess life just got in the way or should I say a string of bad luck? I did go and see my Dad a couple of weeks ago with my Mom, sister Cheryl and Jessie. We had a nice little visit but I haven't been back to see him again yet. Hopefully this weekend we'll get to go again. I forgot to mention that I ran into a friend from when I worked at KMart. Her Mom had Alzheimer's and was in her 80's and finally passed from it. I hated to hear it but its got to be better than not knowing anybody. My friend was lucky though that her Mom was able to be kept in a family home and be taken care of by family. We can't do that with my Dad because of how violent he gets and also he can't walk at all anymore. I know she didn't mean to make me feel bad but only forgot that my Dad is in the VA and that we can't just stay up there with him overnight and such. He does good to handle us for an hour or two at a time when we go up there. I wonder if its just a male/female thing? It'd be interesting to find that part out. My Mom and Cheryl went this past Saturday and visited with my Dad and Cheryl said his hands are starting to curl up from him not using them so much. I'm wondering if he has rheumatoid arthritis? His Mom had it and her hands got like that too. There's not much to talk about on my Dad right now. He's hanging in there. I can't believe its almost a year since he's been in the VA now.

These were taken the last time I got to go up and visit Dad.