The Senior Slumber Party

Yesterday the moms and I went to Chelsea to pick up my Aunt Jay so that we could go to lunch at her favorite restaurant.  She has cataract surgery on Monday and is nervous.  She can't see and hasn't been eating.  I heard this and was on a mission to feed Jay real food so that she is strong enough for the procedure.

This morning we started her eye drops, 6 AM was the first round of drops, drops that will go in again at noon and 6 PM today and tomorrow.  The thought of driving 30 minutes one way 3 times a day was insane so I had an idea, get Jay to stay with me over the weekend.  It was a potential challenge, she never sleeps away from home, ever.  Staying here would serve two purposes, allow me to do the drops and nourish my frail little aunt.

Backing up to yesterday morning, I called Jay and suggested, 'Hey, I was thinking, why don't you just stay here this weekend?"

Jay had some excuses, but nothing I couldn't over come.  She was worried that my cousin Jess' feelings would be hurt because she was allowing me to take care of her.  The next obstacle was, "my cats, who will feed my cats?"  Jay worries about her animals, 11 year old cats that are her companions most of the time.

I chatted with my cousin and told her what I wanted to do to help our aunt; Jess was thrilled that Jay would come to my house for the weekend.  I would take Jay to the hospital and then to my cousin Linda's where Jay will recuperate.  Everyone loved the plan.

I called Jay and told her that everyone was in agreement that she should come here so that I could help her prepare for her procedure.

In true Polish style, Jay came to my house with a brown paper bag as her suit case.  My family and I have joked about the paper bag suit case for decades, often using one ourselves when visiting each other.

Last night was like living in an episode of the Golden Girls.  Three seniors, my mom 80, my mother in law 86 and my Aunt Jay 85.  I made them all a find dinner of salmon, string beans, asparagus and artichokes.  Jay loved it, so did the moms but they love most everything that I prepare for them.

Jay loves the Red Sox, my mom does too and last night there was a game on.  Jay took a shower, nearly burned herself (I need to help her tonight) but she was back to her old joking around self in no time at all.  I saw her and my mom sitting in the 2 recliners, Jay looking like "Edith Ann" from the old Laugh In Comedy Show from my days growing up.  I commented that it's like we are living in an episode of the Golden Girls, which is all Jay needed to hear before she began acting silly.  She wanted to make my mom laugh.  It worked.

My mom hallucinated a bit yesterday.  Jay saw how she changed from happy and pleasant to a lunatic.  She also watched me talk my mom off the ledge.  She watched me talk to the air and chase the hallucinations out of my mom's room.  She even watched me call Dream Master, she looked fascinated that I was able to turn my mom around.

Last night I realized something... Jay would be an awesome addition to our home.  She could help me with my mom.  If I could help Jay get healthy again, she would be strong enough to help me with my respite.  Jay and my MIL really like each other a lot.  Last night, all the moms were helping each other.  It was sweet.  My mom helped Jay, Jay helped my mom, Rachel helped Jay, Jay helped Rachel... it was awesome.

We planted the seed and suggested to Jay that she come to live here.  She does like our home and is comfortable with everyone.  She has company and I'm able to feed her the foods that will keep her strong.  An added bonus is Jay prays and last night she prayed for our Sammy to come home.

Sammy the cat went missing at 4pm.  I always bring the cats in before 4 so that the fox doesn't have them for dinner.  Shakti and Savita came in no problem, but Sammy didn't.  I called him for hours.  I told my husband that he was missing.  We both were so worried about him that we couldn't even eat dinner ourselves.

We walked up the dried creek, noticing animal footprints.  Were they our cats prints?  Was it the fox?  Were the deep prints those of a scuffle between Sammy and the fox?  My imagination was going wild.  Sammy is always home before it's dark.

The evening was crazy, calling the cat, whistling, tingling toy and even shaking the cat treat bag didn't bring Sammy running as it usually does.  I didn't give up hope until it began to down pour, thunder and lightning.  I gave up hope for Sammy ever coming home.

I told Jay and she handed me her rosary beads that a friend gave her.  The beads are from Fatima; beads that are Jay's Blessed Virgin Mary beads.  BVM, she's my favorite Catholic saint and the only one that I actually talk to regularly.  Who knows if it does anything more but bring me peace, but she always seems to help when I pray.

I prayed as I held Jay's beads.  I felt the power in Jay's beads as I cupped them in my hands and prayed.  I said the Hail Mary prayer silently to myself.  Jay said, "Let's pray the Hail Mary together."  I replied, "I just did."  Jay said, "Ok, good enough."

I left the room.

I felt myself need to look out the slider again; I needed to look right away.  I put the things that I had in my hands on the kitchen counter and ran toward the door.  I saw little white paws coming up the stairs in the dark.  I thought I was hallucinating.  I saw the paws walking toward the door.  Could it be?  Was it Sammy?  I opened the door and in came a fairly dry Sammy Cat.  He stayed dry through the downpour and rushed home as soon as there was a break in the clouds.

I gasped.  I couldn't believe it, Sammy came home!

Jay came out of her room, smiling and saying, "HE'S BACK!  Let me see him!!!  I told you he would come home.  I just finished praying to St. Anthony, he's the one you are supposed to pray to for animals, not the Blessed Mother."  My Aunt was so proud and happy because she believes she brought home our Sammy.  Maybe she did.

Yesterday was great.  My mom stayed up until 11pm with Jay.  They watched the Red Sox, had coffee and ice cream as they chatted and laughed.  Jay brought out my mom, the mom I always remembered.  Jay was happy, she was smiling and laughing.  She thanked me over and over again for helping her.  I told her that it's what families do, help each other.  I thanked her for letting me help her.

I tucked my mom in and then I tucked Jay in as she laid in her bed, holding her rosary beads, ready to pray as she does every night.  Jay told me that she was doing her rosary for me and my mom, my husband and Rachel too.  I added, "... and my cats too?"

"Oh yes!  Especially the cats, I'll pray so that they are always safe." Jay said assuringly.

"Good night Jay, sleep with God and I'll see you in the morning.  I love you."  I said to her as I kissed her on the cheek.

Jay went to sleep.

This morning she woke up thinking that she was in her own bed, she felt like she was home.