The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

While I was visiting my father in the hospital in Ontario, Oregon, after he had a hip replacement surgery, I discovered a Little Free Library, and this book caught my eye. Why wouldn't it, with a title like that? I was intrigued. I brought it home and added it to the top of Mt. TBR, but it didn't stay there for long. 

This is the (fictional) story of a centenarian in a nursing home who has decided that living there is for the birds, and escapes out the window on his birthday and ends up on an adventure that changes his life. Intertwined with this adventure are snippets from his past, where we learn that although he may not be the brightest crayon in the box, he has a passion for explosives, and helped create the atom bomb. From there it goes through dealings with communists, the cold war, and Korea, and meeting not only Albert Einstein and working with him, but also befriending Albert's dimwitted half brother Herbert.

You read and can't imagine how he's going to escape the clutches of the enemy, and then when he miraculously does, he finds himself in another impossible situation. 

This book was a very entertaining read, I definitely recommend it.

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Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Claire Berman

 

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Claire Berman, Owl Books

For the past few years, I have seen a change in my elderly parents. My father went through a lot, about 18 years ago he had prostate cancer, and his health and mental clarity started slipping around that time. About 10 years ago, he had a hemorrhagic stroke that resulted in brain surgery, as well as physical disability and dementia. My mother has taken care of him all along, doing the brunt of the work herself, as that's how she always wanted it. 

However, in the past three or so years, I noticed small changes in my mother. Inability to make decisions. Refusal to make phone calls. Asking me to write checks for her. Then she would show up to appointments 3 hours early and just sit there and wait, because she didn't know how to tell time. Couldn't tell the difference between 6am and 6pm. Numbers, mostly.

I took her to a doctor as this worried me, and she took a MOCA test...and failed. The doctor suggested a brain scan. There were family members who denied this, didn't want to face it. I get it. I didn't want to face it either, but I couldn't deny it.

She kept telling me that she couldn't remember how to turn off the car, how to put a seat belt on, and she almost hit cars multiple times on my last drive with her in the driver's seat. Family members didn't want to see this, after all, who wants to give up their right to drive? But in order to protect her, I talked to her doctor, who agreed, and had her license revoked. I hated having to make that decision but it was for her own good, as well as for others. I was terrified at the thought of her killing or injuring someone or herself. It would have happened.

She was on dementia medication for a while and it helped slow the progression, but it was giving her massive headaches. So she was taken off, and her dementia has progressed rapidly. She forgets to bathe. Forgets my dad needs food, and care. Forgets names, what day it is. 

It breaks my heart, seeing my parents become this. My Dad was a senior sonar chief in the US Navy, then a postal carrier, retired from both. Highly intelligent, great sense of humor, would give anyone the shirt off his back. Loving, kind, goofy, and had a strong faith in God. My mother was very creative, devoted her life to children--raising us kids, then teaching in a school and as children's church pastor for years. 

It's like a long term grieving for the children. You love your parents, they are still in there, but it's like watching them slowly disappear. I feel helpless, wishing I could do more. Since he broke his hip, I can't lift my dad, so I can't really stay there when the caregiver is gone because I can't clean or move him.

 I have a lot to mourn over. My parents. Loss of relationship with some of my family. Family dynamic makes things difficult.

But my parents are still alive and still need constant care. 

This book goes over many topics including what options may be available, support groups, how to manage sibling conflict, financial challenges, and end of life decision making. Reading this book let me know that I am not alone in the things I feel, in the grieving at their decline. 

Although most of the care is out of my hands and up to someone else, I still care. I still want them to be okay. I still want to be in their lives, after all, I love them, and always will. 

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck 

2022 Books I Have Read

 JANUARY 2022

1 Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of Luke, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Basic Drawing Techniques edited by Greg Albert and Rachel Wolf

Beadwork Basics, Ann Benson

Girl Scout Hand Book for the Intermediate Program, 1942 edition

Two-Hour Beaded Projects, Ann Benson

Old Stories of the East, James Baldwin

FEBRUARY

Bookbinding Basics, Paola Rosati

II Kings, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Book of John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

China Dolls, Lisa See

Whole 30 Food Freedom Forever, Melissa Hartwig

Toots and Other Stories, Anna Adams Gordon

MARCH

1 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Masters of Painting: Their Works/Their Lives/Their Times by Bernadine Kielty

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Aging Parents, Claire Berman

Acts, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Girl Who Wrote in Silk, by Kelli Estes

Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do, Lin Wellford

APRIL

Romans, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Corinthians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope

It Starts with Food, Dallas and Melissa Hartwig

Draw 50 Animals, Lee J. Ames

Creative Color for the Oil Painter, Wendon Blake

MAY

2 Chronicles, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Galatians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Ephesians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

One Glorious Ambition, Jane Kirkpatrick

Philippians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Natural Woman, Natural Menopause, Marcus Laux ND and Christine Conrad

Ezra, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Mom's Little Book of Photo Tips, Lisa Bearnson

Peony in Love, Lisa See

Colossians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Thessalonians, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Growing Up with Dick and Jane, Carole Kismaric and Marvin Heiferman

2 Thessalonians, /Holman Christian Standard Bible

JUNE

1 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

2 Timothy, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Nehemiah, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Philemon, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson

JULY

Esther, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrews, Holman Christian Standard Bible

James, Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Priest's Graveyard, Ted Dekker

Thunder from Jerusalem, Bodie & Brock Thoene

AUGUST

2 Peter, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Children's Book of Games and Puzzles, Helen Jill Fletcher

Step by Step Beadcraft by Judith Glassman

1, 2, 3 John, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Jude, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Job, Holman Christian Standard Bible

Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah

SEPTEMBER

Revelation, Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Blue Tattoo, The Life of Olive Oatman, by Margot Mifflin

Family Scrapbooks, Memory Makers

Out of Africa, Isak Dinesen

OCTOBER

Flower Net, Lisa See

Creating Art at the Speed of Life, Pam Carriker

NOVEMBER

Psalms, Holman Christian Standard Version

Her Mother's Hope, Francine Rivers

A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson

Proverbs, Holman Christian Standard Version

DECEMBER

Ecclesiastes, Holman Christian Standard Version

Song of Solomon, Holman Christian Standard Version

Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher

TOTAL not including books of the Bible: 36

Would you like to buy me a book, or help keep my little free library stocked and maintained? You can donate here: paypal.me/AmyVanGaasbeck