Reconnecting

Jip’s interest in attending the Siam Society talk the other night gives me hope that she’ll also begin wanting to see more people from her past. So far visitors have been a low priority. Not that we've had many. Usually, a guest is a problem rather than an opportunity for her.

The exceptions are family (although she told her mother to go home after three days) and people from the really old days. A gang of nurses Jip had worked with in '84 and '85 dropped by one afternoon. Jip happily listened to them, ate in front of them, showed them how she does her exercises.

A few days later, a Thai friend from her UW years came over, somebody who's been a huge help in finding caregivers and giving me advice. Jip's first words were, "You can talk to John." So that's what happened, for about ten minutes, until Jip made it clear that the visit was over.

I’ve learned the hard way that not allowing Jip power over her time can backfire. But I’d love it if she slowly began to find more pleasure in having company, or going out. My big dream is a trip south (four hours by car) to visit her 95-year-old grandmother. That is a reunion I’d love to watch.

In Seattle we were surrounded by many friends, but as Jip’s main caregiver I didn’t see other people as often as I would have liked. Now I have more freedom, but I know fewer people. It was nice to hang out this weekend with our old pal Marty, who passed through on her way back to the States from a trip to Tibet. Jip wasn’t feeling too social, but I probably talked more in one afternoon than I had throughout the previous ten weeks combined. If you happen to pass this way, you might get an earful.