You know what, I’m going to say it, not all old people are nice and sweet. In fact some are the opposite, like this guy:
Ya, ya, he looks all cute and harmless, and like he’s taken a few falls this week (he has, two in fact). But man can this guy get on my nerves. Yesterday I wanted to go over there and check on him because the day before he had fallen. And I hate to say it, but really it was his own fault. We have been trying to get him to pull his service cord when he needs help, but the guy refuses. So when he spilled a whole container of Boost (he got boosted he said) he went about cleaning it up himself. From there he ended up face planted to the floor, and struggled for a half hour to get to cord to get help up. I do feel bad about that. I would hate to be so weak, and not be able to do anything myself. But I think there has to be a point where you ask people for help. Instead he falls or hurts himself and we have to go over there double time, and I’m getting a bit bitter about because of what he said to me yesterday.
I told Bj we should head over there to check on him, hang out a bit, Bj suggested bringing him a milkshake, so we did and went over after lunch. The night before I had talked grandpa into taking a pain pill and he had actually slept through the night, which I was happy about. But his mood was still sour. I was sitting next to his bed and Bj was sitting on his walker talking to him when grandpa said to him,
"And you, you better watch her, she’s gaining weight."
Bj: "Grandpa, she’s pregnant!"
Grandpa: "Well I know, but I’m serious you don’t want her to gain to much."
Me: "Grandpa you shouldn’t say mean things to people."
Grandpa: "So you’re fat, that’s not mean, you are fat."
Me: "Saying mean things is your favorite pastime."
Grandpa: "I don’t say mean things (turns and looks at Bj with a smile), not to their faces."
Ok yes, it was funny for a few seconds, and Bj was cracking up. But the more I thought about it the more upset I got. We were in his room, but he has no problem saying things like this to me in public, which I hate. I actually did say I would kick him while he was down yesterday. So there, you can’t all think I’m a saint now for taking care of him. Argh! We went on to have this conversation. It started out because Bj was wearing flip flops and grandpa just now noticed how large his feet are:
Grandpa: "God you have big feet. I don’t trust em. Damn your big toe is almost longer than my foot."
He started to ask Bj if he swam, he doesn’t. And I couldn’t help but interject that I could beat him in a race. Bj said, "ya, Amber was a lifeguard and everything."
Grandpa: "You were a certified life guard? Was that for a kiddy pool?"
No I told him it wasn’t. That I went through he regular training. That I had to be paired up with the biggest guy in my class since I was the smallest. To which grandpa said, "And you’re not near as big as you are now." AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
We changed the subject and Bj started pulling out clothes for his doctor’s appointment. He grabbed the shorts from last year (it’s hot here):
And grandpa said, "No I’m not wearing those, I don’t want them to see my shape. I’d have girls lined up."
He pulled out a pair of pants, "how about these?"
Grandpa, "Sure that’s fine, as long as I’m not hanging out everywhere."
That guy, he thinks he’s like gods gift to women. Still at 88. You have got to be kidding me. The guy drives me mad. And don’t tell me he doesn’t know what he saying. He totally does. He doesn’t have any mental or memory problems. I think that’s an excuse people use. I feel like he should have to take responsibility for his words, but I just can’t seem to convey this to him. And it’s like he knows he can just keep doing it. What am I going to do, not take him to the doctor? I have to. I just am about at my wits end with this guy. A baby is going to seem so easy to take care of after this. I’ve logged thousands of hours watching infants, and like zero (before grandpa) watching old people. And you know what, a year an half later, I still don’t get this guy!
p.s. when he was complaining about his back I told him to look up karma in the dictionary. Was that mean?
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