The Dangerous Elevator

The phone rings.  I look at the caller ID, smile, and answer the phone.  My "Hello" was met with silence. Then a quiet voice says "Lyn?"

"Hi Grandma"

"Lyn, I've just been sitting here thinking about the other day (it was 3 days ago) when you came for a visit and I was worried that you didn't get off the elevator OK."

"Grandma, the kids and I are safe, we are all at home, we got off the elevator just fine."

"Well, OK, I was just worried, and then Nadia and the two babies and a mom with a stroller and all kinds of stuff came and I am worried they didn't make it off the elevator."

(My Mom had already told me my Grandmother had called her the day before about this and Mom called Nadia to make sure they made it off the the elevator to put my Grandma's fears at rest.)

"Grandma, Mom already called Nadia to make sure she made it home OK.  Nadia, the boys, and her Mom are all home safe.  They made it off the elevator just fine."

"Oh yeah , she did call to tell me that, I forgot."

"It's OK Grandma."

"Well, there are those codes and I get so worried...."

"I know Grandma, you get worried about the elevator.  How about the next time the kids and I come we use the stairs."

"OH NO, THAT WOULD BE SO MUCH WORSE!"

"OK, Grandma, we will use the elevator, if the stairs are worse.  We will come soon to visit you again."

"Oh, don't come too soon."

"Why not Grandma?"

"Well, I will tell you later."

"Well, Grandma, now is a good time to tell me why."

"Well, I am so worried about that elevator, you have codes and buttons and I just don't like it."

"I understand the elevator worries you Grandma, but we still want to come see you soon again."

"Well, OK, but be careful with that elevator."

"We will Grandma, we will see you soon.  Love you Grandma!"

"Thats nice honey, bye"

"Bye Grandma"



Her sweet mind is slowly slipping.  She worries endlessly about the crazy elevator that we have to punch codes into to get to her floor and get off her floor (it keeps the dementia patients from escaping).  But thankfully she isn't drugged up so as not to be able to communicate.  She can still hold a conversation and she can still laugh at my kids when they tell her stories.  She smiles when Jilli asks her if she can have her picture taken with her.

My precious Grandmother.  She hadn't walked in days when the kids and I visited her and after our visit, she got right up and walked us down to the notorious elevator (about 15-20 feet from her room).  She tried to sneak on it with us too.  I don't know if she was that worried that we wouldn't make it down, or that she was trying to escape, but I had to have a nurse hold on to her as we quickly pushed the button to close the door before she could hop on.

The kids are already asking when we can go back and visit her again.  They enjoyed their visit with her and I think even the little excitement when Grandma tried to sneak onto the elevator with us.  So I guess we will have to throw caution to the wind and live life on the wild side and ride the elevator up to see her again soon.