I had hoped to write about our vacation experiences and such but alas, the life of a caregiver doesn’t always translate into the emotional energy necessary to do all that one desires.  Soon after we got back though we went to a lantern festival.  Prior to our vacation I had purchased these expensive tickets hoping to do something fun.

Mom hated it and we were miserable.  She freaked out when they told her they were going to pick up handicapped folks and tranfer them to the venue in a Mule.  Mom was freaking out and I couldn’t figure out why.

“I can’t go down that hill!” she said.

“Mom, they’re coming to pick you up with the Mule.  It will be Ok.”

“I can’t get up and down that hill!”

Round and round and round we went.  With each repeat of the conversation my irritation was growing.

When the go-cart thing finally came, my mom exclaimed, “OH!!! I thought they meant a REAL mule!”

Sigh.  The reason for the fear.

We ended up sitting there for several hours waiting for the sun to go down.  Not much to do other than just wait.  Finally the time came and we lit our lanterns.  It actually really was quite spectacular.  Then we got out of there quickly.  Or we tried.

The Mule was waiting and I walked over to the man and asked if we could get in.  Next thing I know it is full of people and I am irritated.  We had waited in the center of the parking lot much longer than others and he gave our seat away while trying to get mom.

“You’re not the only one who needs a ride,” he growled.  “I’ll be back.”

So next time I’m still waiting in the center of the lot when he comes back.  I again ask him for a ride.  He says yes.  Then again fills it full with other people.  I’m fuming by this time.

“I have others, you know.”

They were mobile.

At this point I’m no longer nice.  My anger spouted off to a nearby employee.  Finally an older gentleman who had a Gator took pity on us and picked us up and took us to our car.  I thanked him profusely.

I repented later.  Caregivers are typically not nice people.  It’s just that you’re always tired  and your patience wore out long ago.  I wish I wouldn’t have been so angry.  Next time hopefully it will turn out better.  Thankfully the lanterns were pretty cool.   And now we laugh about her thinking she was going to be flopped on a cart or a real life mule.