May 6, 2018. Madison, Mississippi. Old Dogs.

Rumor has it that old dogs can not be taught new tricks. Perhaps that is why I am so bad at the new task I have been assigned. I am an old dog. For almost 60 years I have paid no attention to the medications Ken had taken. He liked to be in charge. He made up his weekly pill boxes and he paid attention to what the doctors were prescribing. When Ken was young and sickly everyone hovered over him which he hated so as an adult, he wanted no one to pay attention to his health or his medications. My role was to cheer not to monitor. But times have changed. I am now in charge of making up the weekly medications, which I have done once. In addition I am supposed to be sure Ken gets his required pills. In Mexico the nurses were in charge so my new role is recent. The first task I could handle thanks to the organization set up by Rita. But the remembering to be sure Ken get his medications is beyond me. I always forget. Fortunately the helpers ask me so most of the time he gets his pills but not always on time. For instance, we met Christina and the girls for brunch at 11:00 so Ken did not eat breakfast, which meant he did not sit at the breakfast table, where his morning pill box sets. When we came home at 1:00, Kendria asked is Ken had taken his morning pills. Of course, I had forgotten. The helpers are good at being sure he takes the Parkinsons meds every 4 hours but not always. I forget until about an hour late and ask. This evening, we ate supper downstairs watching the hockey game. When we came up at 8:30, Emma asked if Ken had taken his evening pills. No was the answer. I am hopeless. Perhaps I will improve. After all, I have only been at this task for 6 weeks while I have been ignoring his medications for almost 60 years. We will find out whether or not this old dog can learn new tricks.