JOAN’S BLOG – FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012 – HOW ABOUT A PARAKEET?

Before I begin, I must inform those of you who are unfamiliar with my animal tastes, that both my husband and I are unabashed dog lovers. Crazy, totally in-love with dogs, dog lovers. We had dogs for the first 36 years of our marriage. Our last dog succumbed to cancer a month before we moved to Florida.

In 2008, a year and a half before we moved to Independent living, I wrote a blog contemplating the pros and cons of getting a dog. After you weighed in with your votes, most in favor of a new dog for us, I decided it was not a good idea, for all the reasons it is still not a good idea. Sid is physically disabled now, can barely walk; is quickly declining mentally; and needs more care than ever. I am trying to take care of him; manage my father’s care; handle everything in the house; run two businesses; and take care of myself. I am NOT taking on the responsibility of a dog. I am NOT walking a dog.

Yesterday, while I was visiting my father at the ALF next door, I noticed a new resident in the lounge at the end of his hallway. It was a little green and yellow parakeet in a cage. She was very attentive when I went to the cage to talk to her. She came up to the side where I was; turned her little head towards me, and seemed interested in what I had to say. When I walked away, she chirped and chirped. A little light bulb went off in my head, and I thought – “Why not a parakeet?” When I was a child, my parents would not let me have a dog because my mother said she would be the one who would end up taking care of it, but they both agreed on a parakeet. So from the time I was about 7 years old, until I was 19, I had parakeets. I talked. They listened. I loved my parakeets.

Now I have this parakeet bug in my head, and am thinking that it might be good for both of us. Sid will complain at first, of course, because he wants a dog, and only a dog, but I am willing to bet that eventually, he will warm up to it.

I am also thinking that perhaps having a pet will keep him from obsessing about every body ache and pain he experiences. Granted, his knees, back, and shoulders cause him a great deal of pain, but even with the new pain patch and oral medication, he whines and complains ( I often think to gain sympathy from me) constantly. He does not move without complaining. The closer I am to him, the louder he grimaces, grunts, and whines. Maybe talking to a bird and watching bird antics will distract him from himself.

Thankfully, I have slept on the idea. I wrote the blog last night, and woke up this morning to the usual rush in trying to get Sid ready for his Alzheimer Activity Center. I honestly do not have the time to devote to any more living beings. Sid, my father, and myself take up more time than is available to me now. I guess there was a reason my dear, sweet Casey died before we moved to Florida. It is not in the cards for us to have a pet anymore.

I currently have an electronic aquarium in my kitchen. If I want to see fish swimming around, I simply turn it on, and watch the colorful fish swim. No cleaning, no walking, no feeding. That is the extent of the pet responsibility I am able to handle as Sid’s physical and cognitive conditions continue to decline. In the meantime, if I feel the need to watch a bird, I can visit Coco at the ALF.

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