October is over, and good riddance, say I.

I have had a nurse/helper come in to do light housekeeping, give him his bath, and generally bring some order out of chaos. It was wonderful to have help, but it's expensive. We've decided half a day, once a week, is all we can afford.

The difficult thing with caregiving is that it's 24 hours, 8 days a week. Helping him to the bathroom, portioning out his meds, pulling him out of his chair to stand up, making up his bed, etc., is an around-the-clock proposition. Plays havoc with the sleep schedule. I have to set the alarm, since normally I sleep very soundly.

His personality is one of a rebel. He hates adhering to schedules, refuses to do what he's told ("I don't feel like going to the bathroom right now." But, dear, I have to go to work. Please go now, so I can get there on time).

I guess one of the things he's having to learn in this incarnation is how to adapt himself to the greater whole, including schedules, just as mine is to learn patience and cheerful endurance. His lesson would be too easy for me; it's the hard stuff we have to learn.

I have it worked out. Come Monday, I'll set up morning pills, help him with ablutions, feed him, then go to work. At lunchtime I'll return (I live 25 minutes away from work), give him his pills, help him to the bathroom, lay out lunch for him, etc., then return to work for the afternoon. Evening: wash, rinse, repeat. Midnight: wake him, give him meds, go back to bed.

The hardest part will be the lunch time driving instead of taking my nap. I've taken a nap midday for years, good for the heart, power nap, but I guess those days are over. Time for the old lady to step up to the plate and take her turn in the game. Or some lousy metaphor like that.

I can do this. I just have to set my mind to it and stop complaining about it.

Just call me the Halloween Wicked Witch of West Hills.