Top Secret

Momma does not have any experience with poor health. She is 88, takes no medication, her blood pressure is normal, she is not a diabetic, her weight is perfect, and her natural teeth are so beautiful she was asked to remove them before a needle biopsy. The only thing missing in this testimony to a life well lived is her poor vision due to macular degeneration. Any thing that momma ever had, except the shoulder injury she earned from making ten purses for Christmas presents from duct tape, has resolved itself quickly. Up until recently she would go to the church to help the "old people". I wondered just how old they were being she was in her eighties. She made choir robes for the children, bought and distributed fruit baskets to the elderly, made sure the under funded had food and clothing. She has been a woman in charge of her life and other's.

So here we are with momma and daddy going to the ophthalmologist alone because they don't' need any help. Momma's vision is causing her to see "blocks in the road" and the shoulder of the road to appear as a "deep crater". Now we all know that she is screaming TOM which is making poor daddy a nervous wreck. Daddy's hearing is not good and the vascular dementia he is suffering from does not make him the best candidate to retain the medical diagnosis being rendered. Momma can't remember her doctor's name, when her appointments are scheduled, and what procedures are going to be done. She gets medical advice from friends who may or may not have a similar diagnosis and certainly is not identical to hers. She has an astounding network of friends who offer various forms of advice. She is trying to locate her friend who is blind yet drives to determine how she passed the vision exam at the State Patrol Driver's License Department.

Daddy does not want anyone to drive them anywhere because he is afraid that we are going to tell him he can not drive any more. His butt is glued to that driver's seat and it is difficult to pry him out of it. Sometimes after a death defying trip out to eat, with audio provided by momma, he will hand the car keys over to one of the poor suckers he has forced to ride with him. My parents might not have experience with being sick but their adult children have no experience telling their parents NO. We have made a life saving pact not to allow daddy to drive us anywhere. Our motto is going to be "Hell No, We Won' Go".

Our problem is obvious. They do not want us to drive them to the doctor because daddy does not want to quit driving; momma is blind and she does not want to quit driving; the doctors are not getting accurate information from momma and daddy; and the doctors have to abide by HIPPA regulations, which by the way are going to protect our parents to death. I am hoping that they will sign a consent for us to be able to access their medical information so we can make sure they get to their appointments and follow home care instructions. I am not sure this is going to happen as they are now acting like they are in the CIA and their health care is a top secret operation.