Steeltown

Woke up this morning and spent some time trying to figure out whether the mind is more like an effervescent drink or a vinyl record ... and, depending on which one, whether or not there was something worth writing in the perception that my father's mind is like either:

• a soda that's been shaken and stirred by life, and no longer produces a steady stream of thought bubbles but rather a random thought every ten to fifteen minutes ... some of which sputter or are dissolved before they can even pop to the surface and be heard; or,
• a record that's been left in a sandstorm for long enough that only a very few, very deep grooves remain: "I want to buy", "You need to fix", "I don't like" ... the objects of those desires having changed over time, did not make grooves deep enough to remain decipherable now.

It seems, somehow, significant that the bits that remain are likely the bits we have felt since long before we learned how to express them. In our cribs we wanted the shiny thing, or the warm fuzzy thing, or the satiating thing; we wanted the world fixed so that we could manage it better, or so our bums would be more comfortable; we knew we did not like being alone, in the dark, hungry, or wet. Then we didn't have words, but often still could make our desires clear. Now my father has words, has had them for seventy five years or more, but has lost the ability to express anything other than the basic "I want." Leaving us like anxious parents trying to figure out whether this is the want for food, warmth, entertainment, or company.

Yeah, and I've been strangely allergy prone this morning... lots of sniffles and eye watering. Whoda thunk it?

Research

I want to know more about why the halls were full of people, heads bowed uncomfortably forward, and nary a cervical collar in sight. Some info found when looking for the combinaiton of "dementia" and "neck flexion":

Head and Neck Positioning Assessment considers both habitual body position and habitual head position. It should be noted if the patient is able to complete independent positioning on instruction or is able to assist in positioning. In the later stages of dementia, there are three common head-neck positions including chronic head/neck flexion, variable head/neck flexion/extension in the absence of positioning management, and chronic head/neck hyperextension. The only appropriate goal of intervention at this late stage is to improve functional behaviors through adaptive equipment or assistive devices; there is no rehab potential due to bilateral brain destruction. (emphasis mine) http://www.speechpathology.com/articles/article_detail.asp?article_id=262

Most everything else talks about neck position in terms of parkinsons ... sometimes this internet thing is not all that helpful...