She's cracking me up!

My Dad does a good job taking care of my mom.
They they go walking every morning, they eat right and they go on outings for entertainment just about everyday. They stay busy.
One thing my Dad is always doing is reading and trying to learn better ways to stay healthy...for both of them.
And so, my Dad will quite often change their diets based on whatever he has read recently.
Honestly, my parents have always eaten pretty well.  They love steamed veggies for dinner, they eat steel cut oats with fruit for breakfast, you get what I'm saying, right?

One of the problems is that my mom might not remember that he has changed something or why he has done it.  And so he does a lot of explaining as to why she can't eat one thing or another.  But he does all of the cooking and most of the ordering when they are out so it's pretty easy overall to keep her on track with whatever diet he wants her to try.  And she is generally on board.

His latest read is about how to avoid and/or cure Alzheimers and dementia.  This is always a goal of his given his circumstances with my mom.  Anyway, this book says, among other things, to cut out all sugar for a period of time (I think it's 3 months) including fruit.  They are only on day 3 of this new change so they are still in the phase of wanting sugar and having to use willpower to resist.  Supposedly this will change but I have never made it long enough in the "no sugar" situation in my own life to know if it's true.

Now, my mom has dementia and she is a very different person now than she once was.  I often miss my old mom...the one with the amazing intellect and the great sense of humor.  But every now and then we get a little glimpse of her and it is wonderful.

Today at my house before we left for lunch Dad was explaining their new diet and mom just pipes in:
"We can't eat fruit, we can't eat bread, we can't eat sugar.  If you find us dead, you will know why!"
Oh man, that made me laugh.

Then we went to lunch and the waitress set down a basket of rolls.  My mom automatically reached for it (because, rolls!) and my Dad says, "No, remember we can't have those".
My mom had the best reaction with a shocked face and then she laid her head on the table in despair.  Oh man, I understand that reaction. And it was really very much a moment where I saw my old mom again.  As I laughed over her reaction I said,"I wish I had gotten a picture of her reaction just then!" so I pulled out my camera, just in case.

Here is the conversation between Mom and Dad after that:

Mom: Can I have just a half?
Dad: No
Mom: How about just a bite?
Dad: No, we can't have any remember?  It will just make us want sugar more.
Mom: I don't think one bite will hurt.
Dad: It will.  Remember this will help our memory!
Mom: This will help my memory? My memory is good.
Dad: Really? What day is it?
Mom: The day after yesterday! (reaching for a roll)

All of this was said in good humor and both Dad, Mom and I were laughing quite a lot.  Finally Mom said, "So all I get is ice water? Oh well."

Listening with disbelief as Dad explains the reason for not eating sugar

Trying to sneak a roll while they talk

Admitting defeat

She eventually stuck her tongue out at Dad, which she does on occasion and it's awesome.
Luckily her salmon salad arrived in short order.  It is her favorite and she loved every bite and seemed to forget all about those darn rolls.  (We did have the waitress take them away)

I enjoy spending time with Mom and Dad and I especially enjoy it when we get to laugh and have a good time like we did today.