This morning I re-read last evenings post and I probably need to clarify something.

Coach has been by Memama and Pepa's in the last three months, but only f0r short spans. Ten minutes, twenty, or even thirty minutes. During all of this Pepa has been in his chair. That said, it needs to also be said that with Pepa perched there he can make you think everything is the status quo, and all is well.

Not so.

Pat and I have talked and we are in agreement that we have hit a new threshold with Memama and Pepa. They have reached a point that they cannot cover for one another. And I for one think there has been a lot of "covering" having gone on the last few years.

Pat made a statement yesterday that made sense. She said, "I don't think either one of them thought they would live this long."

Three days this week, Pepa has had mobility issues. Of course his knee hurts, but it may be time to put his big boy panties on and do what needs to be done. That being either grinning and bearing it, or jumping on that bicycle and developing some strength and stamina. Outside of that it is either a home health service or an assisted living facility, or even a nursing home. I really feel it is up to him.

My biggest fear is that Memama will try to assist Pepa when he is "stranded" and he will either make her fall or he will fall down on her. She is not very big and is very frail to be trying to pull and push on a 268 pound pile of dead weight who can't or chooses not to help himself.

Ironically, Pepa's biggest nemesis is the toilet. He can get sat down but can't get up. Two days this week this has been the case. Now they have taken the incentive and had all the toilets replaced with the taller models. However, this hasn't avoided a problem. The first episode occurred after Memama had gone to bed and taken her hearing aids out. So Pepa's calls for help feel on deaf ears in every sense of the word.

While Pepa's account of the first episode was quite descriptive, the details of which I choose not to include in this post, let's suffice it to say he crawled down off the toilet and crawled on all fours back to bed.

The second episode was Thursday when his walker ran away from him on the back patio and he stretched out full length before becoming immobile.

Yesterday's plight involved the toilet again. He simply couldn't get up. He tried to convince Memama that if she would just let him put his arms around her neck he could pull him self up. It didn't take her long to realize that wasn't going to work.

It turns out that Pepa's local doctor gave him some pain pills for his knee until he gets in next week to see his knee specialist and get some injections in the joint. It is very possible that Pepa has abused this medication which has contributed to his mobility problems. From the stories I have heard, the medications have really messed him up. He sees bears on the television when it is off and he has attempted to go outside to urinate, telling Memama he could do a better job by going outside. He has worked on every lamp or object he could reach while she tried to get him back to bed Thursday night. I guess his short term memory is forgetting his dilemma on the back patio Thursday.

Luckily, Bubba was close enough to help get Pepa off the toilet Friday, and Jake and Chris stopped by to help him get back on the stack of pillows in his chair (the pillows give him a head start on getting up, but they are H E double L for him to get back on top of).

Pat said Jake was strong enough to snap Pepa straighter up than he has been in months!

Oh the aging process.

If it has done anything for me it has made me want to do something to help myself now.

A quick family note for all the family that occasionally stops by this blog. We have selected February 20 to have the get together to celebrate Memama and Pepa's 60th anniversary. It will take place at their home and will be very low key. Burgers, hot dogs, chips, dips, cake and lost of good family time. Each family will be responsible for their own meals (Pat and I will get it all together, it's just due to economics we can't foot the bill for sixty or seventy people. We are hoping Linda and Joni will do the cake.). We are including Memama's and Pepa's sisters and brother. As it stands right now we are looking at 2pm., that way those wanting a day trip can come and go more easily.

Come with your ears ready because I figure Pepa will have lots of tattling to tell on Pat and I.

FATHER, we could use a lot of help here.