a girlfriend

Lots has been going on in my life lately, and I'm glad I finally have time to write.  Besides moving my family to a different house, last week I was finally able to arrange for my brother to have cataract surgery.  They gave him the first appointment so that he wouldn't have to go too long without food and drink and possibly pass out.  That meant I had to leave my house at 5:00 am in the morning to pick him up at 5:50 am.  I live now about 10 minutes more in each direction from the nursing home.  The procedure itself went smoothly and only took about an hour and a half from start (prep) to finish.  After we left the surgery, I took my brother out for breakfast, so the whole thing lasted about 6 hours, with about 4 hours spent driving back and forth.  He says he can see a lot better now, which is so important.

Today, when I took him out for our weekly Sunday breakfast, the receptionist mentioned that I should ask my brother about his "girlfriend".  I did, but he wouldn't tell me a thing.  On my way out of the home, she stopped me again and told me the whole story.  It turns out there is a 74 year old woman who "doesn't have it all there" who has taken a fancy to him.  Actually they have taken a fancy to each other, hold hands, and even had a lovers quarrel because she was mad that she declared her love for him, but he hadn't for her.  Eventually he did.  This all has taken place during the last week.

The receptionist is telling me that the staff is teasing the two of them about a wedding.  I am a bit concerned that staff interest in the relationship (they think it's cute) may be patronizing, and also lead to some weird expectations.  However, I have known that he has always wanted a girlfriend his whole life, so if this makes him happy, I am ecstatic. 

I was in Minnesota over Labor Day and talking to a friend who is an advocate for the disabled.  She asked me how my brother was doing and naturally assumed that his placement in a nursing home was not desirable and I explained to her how actually he seems to be doing quite well and likes the "social" aspect of it.  But it never occurred to me that he would have adjusted like this!

And when I was away on Labor Day, I did not worry about him once.  This is very liberating.