Today Kathy Szecsi and I went to see Joe. Kathy is our neighbor from when we lived on 17th Place in the mt. preserve. She is also our dear friend who cuts Joe's hair every month. She dearly loves Joe and we both love her, so it was a very nice visit and she also shaved his head today! She took him some edible treats and said "she was his girfriend for the day".
While I made two blenders full of chocolate and protein milkshakes for the residents who wanted them, Kathy talked to Joe. She told me he said he had a bad day today. So later I asked him why it was a bad day, and he could not give me or Kathy a reason. He did come in the kitchen when I was making the milkshakes and asked me if he was going home with me today. I think he was wishing to come home today so when he couldn't, he called it a bad day. I told him I had not been to Chicago yet and was going in a few days, so he needed to stay there. He didn't say anything, as there was really nothing for him to say, but he did not argue with me about it at least.
I know no one WANTS to be in a group home, but that still does not mean they should not be there. Kathy was impressed with the home and the people and said he could not be in a nicer place than he was in.
Later I told him maybe we should talk about the definition of a "bad day". I told him a bad day was when you could not get out of bed, could not eat, were sick, etc. He had 2 wonderful meals today and a milkshake, he had a nice nap, and he was walking and talking and feeling good, so today was a GOOD day for him! He finally agreed!
This reminds me of this quote by a man we all admired and loved:
"You're not going to make me have a bad day. If there's oxygen on earth and I'm breathing, it's going to be a good day."....Cotton Fitzsimmons (1931-2004)
