Oh yes.......I am......Super Caretaker!

This brace Mom has to wear is such a cumbersome thing. For one thing, her Depends has to go on OVER it, which takes some practice. Wearing it involves a lot of little changes in the way Mom gets dressed and undressed, as well as how she goes to the bathroom. And "change" never sets well with the elderly, or at least it doesn't set well with my elderly parents. It's really remarkable how any little bend in their routine, just makes them crumble.

Last night, for example, I had just settled into bed with the dogs when I heard really loud, loud talking. At first, I thought it was Mom's tv (sometimes she turns it up pretty high), but I quickly realized it was actually Mom's voice I was hearing (not a good sign). So I got out of bed and started to walk back toward Mom and Dad's "wing". Dad met me halfway. Turns out he was on his way to my "wing" to get me.

He's in his underwear; he's frustrated. "Your Mom needs something and I can't understand her!"

He gets so worked up when she's upset because he can't make out what she's saying and she's too upset to repeat anything for him. Plus, my mother doesn't make a lot of sense when she's upset. Then again, who does?

Anyway, so I get to her room and she's sitting on her bed sobbing. I say, "What's up Mom?"

"I..I...I......n-n-n-neeeeeeed....m-m-m-myyyy..........diaper pulled onnnnnnn! A-a-a-and......I..I...I....c-c-c-can't......p-p-p-pull......it.....uuuuuuuup!" (For just a tiny little moment I think to myself, Isn't this probably exactly what little babies think when their Huggies are drooping off their little bottoms?)

But back to Mom........

Anyway......the thing you need to know is, I had just helped her put on her Depends not ten minutes ago. But as I said, the brace is new, the Depends feels different. It's all new stuff.......changes in the routine.

Experience has taught me well. I have come to understand that it takes old people wayyyyy longer to ascend any learning curve. So I calmly said, "Mom, your Depends is on. I just helped you put it on."

And she immediately stopped crying. Then she stood up, reached down to lift up her nightgown, dropped her head to look, and saw the Depends exactly where it was supposed to be (completely pulled on), and said simply, "oh."

And I said, "So you see?! You're fine!"

And about that time Dad had made it into her room. I turned to leave and there he was, with this exasperated, utterly helpless look on his face, "Well what's the damn problem?!" So I told him, " 'S'all good. She just thought her diaper wasn't on."

He looked at Mom. Mom looked back at him. He looked at me. I tossed my hand (and his worries) into the air, " 'S'all good!"

Then we all stood there for a few beats.

Then Dad put his arm around me, gave me a thankful squeeze, and said softly. "What would we do without you?" And because I'm a sucker for contrasting emotions, I instinctively flipped the mushy moment, threw both arms up in "touchdown" fashion and accompanied myself with a triumphant superhero fanfare, "Dah-dada-dahhhhh!"