First time after surgery. It's OK

 An  interesting trip to see Kay after a week of absence.  I was concerned about how she managed while I was gone and what effects it might have had on her thought process.  
And how she would she react to my return.  There are millions of ways a brain with dementia might react. Dementia comes in so many forms it is unimaginable. Was she having memory problems that she would forget me in a week?  I didn't think so because she can learn something if she does it enough times.  Like getting a truffle,  Me pulling out of my bag the bag of truffles. Taking her to our spot in the hall where I give her the treats.  These things she knows. Her ability to know when I tell her goodbye and I will be back tomorrow. So I didn't think she would forget.  But if I did not come and do the things she expected what effect would it have on her? How much did she depend on me? She had a cousin and sister in law who were put in a place like this and they died in about 8 months. Loneleness?  Heartbreak?  Even though temporary how would it effect her. Then I had this bandage which changed my appearance.  The first few days in addition to the bandage my face was discolored and swollen.  No way could I go at this stage.  I had to leave her alone.  That would no doubt be  the lessor of two evils. I   will have the pictures at the bottom of this post.  So today I find out. Nothing was going on on the 3rd floor.  They had allowed her to stay in bed.  I  went to the bed and sat down beside her, close. I put my hand on her and woke her.  She looked at me and smiled. She knows me!!  When I leaned over her she pushed me back.  She did't like my looks.  I turned to my walker and pulled out my lunch box.  She is quiet.  I opened it and she is still quiet.  I pulled out the truffle bag and unwrapped one. Her hands were  in the way in her eagerness to get one. One after another until I  had given her 4 when  I  had to put a stop to it.  This procedure had changed her somewhat so that she will now take her pills. But first she had to get rid of the truffles she was still trying to eat.  She went with  me to the TV room where a number of them were watching TV or talking to each other.  I had to ask the attendant to check her over but she didn't want to go with him   I took  her to her room expecting the attendant to  have better luck from that location.  She literally fought against  leaving  me.  But somehow she did get into the bathroom.  But there she was fighting back so much I decided I would go in and see if I could be of help.  It helped a little and just enough that the job could be completed.  After that it was about 35 minutes or so before I had to leave.  She used my walker to return to th

couple days after surgery

Yesterday

e TV room where I put my arm around her and she rested her head on my shoulder until it was time to go.  So now how will she react to my leaving? What I found is that until she gets used to it events are happening so fast she cant comprehend what is going on. Today she looked at me when I told her I was leaving but she didn't wave back because she didn't understand. Tomorrow or later she should start waving back because she knows I will be coming back.  One of the caregivers said one day she seemed upset because I was not there but I did not have a chance to find out what went on.  One of the caregivers on the floor said they were worried about me because they had not seen  me for so long.   I had talked to the head nurse on the floor below but apparently there was no occasion to tell them I was ok.