Demented Thursday

This past weekend I took the grandma to the Walmart.  If you are of a certain age you don't refer to stores as just their names but by adding "the" in front of it.  Example?  We went to The Food Lion.  We went to The Target.  

If you live in a place like I do then Walmart on Sundays is like holy ground as everyone and their twenty-five family members hit the place up.  I noticed from buggies packed to the brim most folks were there for food and cleaning products.

Does my grandma technically need to "grocery" shop?  No.  She has a well stocked freezer with enough food for about oh I don't know one armageddon to suffice off of.  However, certain things do age quickly (I.e. milk, bread, eggs) and therefore must be purchased regularly.

Our trip started off on the wrong foot.  She couldn't find her grocery money.  We searched endlessly for the money but couldn't find it anywhere.  Dementia and Alzheimer's patients tend to take on squirrel tendencies and hide things away from themselves and every other person, place or thing on the planet.  I had to make a call to my uncle to assist in the great hunt for the money.  She doesn't keep money on her so I thought perhaps someone else had held it for her.  He came and saved the day.  

Then we found her money.

Wrapped in trash.

I'm so not kidding you.

Deep breath.

Off to Walmart we go.  Walmart is a horrible place for a person who is easily confused, agitated, and lost.  To me, taking her to Walmart, is like taking a blind mouse to an endless maze.  There's going to be bumps and mass confusion.  Why couldn't we have went to a real grocery store?  You know the ones a quarter of the size of a mega center?  Here's why:  she loves some Walmart.

Her list for this trip:

Sandwich meat

Bread

Cereal

I get the meat and bread but the cereal had me puzzled.  My mom told me that my grandma stockpiles the stuff.  Oh well....go with it.

We came out of the store with:

Bananas

Lettuce

Frozen pizza

Cheerwine

Little Debbies

Sandwich meat

Bread

Cereal x2

Canned peaches

Tomatoes

Grocery shopping with her was like grocery shopping with a five year old.  We didn't look at prices or compare anything - if it looked good by God we bought it.  The Cheerwine totally threw me for a loop.

"Look at that it's Cheerwine!  I haven't had one of those in years!"  (Could be true.)

"Well let's get you some, Mom-o."

"Yeah let's get it."  (Very excited)

Then she saw the Little Debbies -

"These look good.  They have apples in them."

"I haven't had those before."

"Well, I'm getting them and I'll tell you if they are good."

"Yeah you can share one with me."

"No.  You can have your own."

I guess she told me.

About half way through the adventure she forgot me (again).  We were looking at baby clothes and she asked about "my people" again.  (I'm still trying to figure out what tribe I should say I am from).  She wanted to know if anyone in my family sewed.  She also wanted to know what my family did for a living.  Part of me really wished to have fun with it but I answered honestly.  Next time I'll just smile and make up some good stuff that she can get a kick out of and share with her friend Janice.

This time out I also noticed something new.  My grandma has a magnet towards babies.  In 2013 moms do not trust anyone coming up to their kids in any store.  It doens't matter how old you are.  I am no different if we're being totally honest.  

We saw a baby and immediately my grandma went over and started talking to it.  I made a bee line to her tried to divert her attention as the mother became infuriated.  I apologized and we moved forward.  Then at the check out another baby caught her attention.  The mother was very sweet and talked to my grandma as she awaited the cashier to finish.  Times like these make you thankful for kind people.

The sad reality that more of the every day is silently slipping away was felt at the checkout counter.  She couldn't count her money out to pay.  I stepped in to help but the cashier (who I will get her name and write a note to thank her for her pure kindness) handed her half the money she gave her back and kept her conversation soft and rolling with her.  

As we walked to the car I had this thought:  87 years of education, life experience, memories all turning into white space.

Think on that folks.

#EndAlz