Saturday, May 2, 2009

Too many things to do..and my brothers problems

Yesterday my brother called needing a ride, I was puzzled because I'd just given him a ride the day before and I couldn't figure out where he needed to go so badly. I've posted about my brother before on DirtyDisher and people have asked how he's doing. He's doing well now that his meds have been evened out. He's not in the Nut Hut anymore and is living in a care facility, like a half way house. It's nice and he likes it most of the time.
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So, I go to pick him up and he'd said he was uptown. I found him up on the square at a pharmacy and asked him what the deal was? Was he picking up meds or what? No, he told me "they" told him he should walk uptown to see if he could "overcome his disability." He got all the way uptown, and it's quite a walk, and he couldn't make it home. His legs hurt. He walks with a limp and I don't know why, but, it's real and he has some pain in his legs. He couldn't explain to me who the "they" was that told him to do this, so, I let it go. I think it was a well meaning worker who wanted to give him something to do. The problem was, he didn't have the money to call a cab when he couldn't get any further. He has some cash out there, but, it's kept in the cashiers office and the cashier decided to take an unplanned day off. So, the poor guy was stuck and he was embarrased.
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I have to explain to him that the person who suggested the walk was well meaning, but, it was not an order. He doesn't understand that. I have to teach him how to be polite, but, still stand up for himself. I've met some of the workers there and they are really great people, he likes them too. They talk to him, visit with him..he enjoys that. I also let him and them know that he can come home anytime he wants to. We'll see what happens, but, I think, for the most part, he likes it there. He has a roommate and it's a nice place, like a home, not an institution. They have horses in back and you can sit out there and watch them and smoke cigarettes and have endless coffee. It's good they let him smoke, he'd never stay there if they didn't. He's afraid of horses, he never had anything to do with mine, but, he likes animals and misses his cat. Maybe he can learn to enjoy watching them. I told him his cat is fine and happy. His cat is a bird killer though, but, if I told him that, he'd cry and not be able to sleep. I think the cat is going to get declawed...if not find a new home. Is that mean? And I am out of time, Lissa is here and I have to go to work.

2 comments:

crystal said...

guess as far as what you asked about the cat and having it declawed. I really didn't know so looked up what it entails:

Declawing is not like a manicure. It is serious surgery. Your cat's claw is not a toenail. It is actually closely adhered to the bone. So closely adhered that to remove the claw, the last bone of your the cat's claw has to be removed. Declawing is actually an amputation of the last joint of your cat's "toes".

It is a painful surgery, with a painful recovery period. And remember that during the time of recuperation from the surgery your cat would still have to use its feet to walk, jump, and scratch in its litter box regardless of the pain it is experiencing.

Your cat's body is perfectly designed to give it the grace, agility and beauty that is unique to felines. Its claws are an important part of this design. Amputating the important part of their anatomy that contains the claws drastically alters the conformation of their feet. The cat is also deprived of its primary means of defense, leaving it prey to predators if it ever escapes to the outdoors.

So I only read what declawing entailed DD, but I don't know if I would go to that length - a personal decision I guess.

Crystal

Dirty Disher said...

That sounds awful. Maybe the cat should just find a new home. It stalks my bird feeders and I won't have that. Most of the cats here have more sense than that. Last week it killed a nest of bunnies. I was so mad.