After a Month Long Delay Dad Can Begin to Pick Oranges

Dad has a dear friend, Wharton Gaul. Dr. Gaul and my father went to Virginia Episcopal School together, went into the military together, and even contracted scarlet fever together while in the military. Dad has often talked about how, if Dr. Gaul had not gotten out of his own sick bed to care for my Dad, Dad probably would not have lived through the illness.

Ever since Dad's stroke Dr. Gaul has called me every Wednesday between 3 and 4 p.m. to ask how Dad is doing. This past week he told me an interesting story. According to Dr. Gaul, after Dad and Dr. Gaul got out of the "make shift" hospital in California for scarlet fever, they were sent to a rehab facility. What was unique about this facility was the fact that it was not a rehab facility at all, it was an orange grove, donated to the military by Bing Crosby. Dad and Dr. Gaul would get up every day, walk around the grove, pick oranges and recuperate. Despite Dad's many tales from his past this is one we had never heard. We asked Dad about it. He remembered it well. Dad said they told him he could have whatever he wanted to eat. Dad ate peach pie every day.

As I sat yesterday in Dad's new rehab I was reminded a little of this story--there is a big picture window in Dad's room and he has a wonderful view of the many pear trees blooming outside. There are courtyards for Dad to go out and get fresh air and the room--despite having the trapping of a hospital room--had wallpaper and a wonderful ledge at the window for plants and cards. You could hear talking throughout the rehab but there were no bells going off, announcements over the intercom or harsh lights. This may not be the orange grove of Dad and Dr. Gaul's memory but it seems to be a place of relative peace where he can begin to heal.

Dad is already looking better. He was up in a wheelchair when Mom and I arrived and was getting ready to have speech therapy. The speech therapist was asking Dad questions to assess his cognitive losses. I don't think the therapist quite knew what she was getting herself into. 

She started off with a very simple question--I can't remember the question but Dad got it wrong. She looked somewhat concerned and then asked Dad again. This time he got it right. After that he was off and running, "Do you put salt in your milk?" "NOOOOOOOO! of course not," Dad replied. "Are the sun and the moon in the sky at the same time?" "Yes," Dad replied, The therapist looked concerned. "Well I guess they can when there is an eclipse," she said. No Dad said, "it happens twice a month." "Which can go faster, a motorless car or a bicycle." "A motorless car," Dad replied. She again looked concerned. I did too--maybe there were more cognitive issues than we thought. "It's simple," Dad replied. "You put the car at the top of a hill and it rolls down the hill like a go-cart." I think that was pretty creative. They may have to rewrite this test after Dad's done with it. Meeting with the therapist after seeing Dad she indicated she did not see any cognitive issues--more issues of attention and concentration as well as Dad continuing to talk a LOT!!!!!!

I sometimes wonder how Dad feels after giving people psychological testing for so many years he is now having the testing done on him. I think he is actually having a little bit of fun with it.

Dad says his children are BOSSY. He still wants very much to go home and Matt had a talk with him about not going home until he completes rehab. He may not be happy with it but I think he is accepting of the fact--especially since Matt is so close he can see him several times a day.

Since Dad is finally feeling good, even though he is very weak, we now have a chance to see what progress he can make to recover from the stroke. This may not be Bing Crosby's orange grove but I have a very good feeling the results will be the same.