So today isn't a huge holiday in the US, right?

No, but I think schools here are closed.

When I was in high school, my village was so Catholic that the stores closed from noon- 3 on Good Friday so we could go to church. Since I wasn't Catholic and worked at the grocery store, I basically had to spend three hours punched out and in the break room, because I worked the 9 - 5:30 shift on school breaks to cover for the day cashiers who had kids. It was super weird. Also, even though there was no internet and no tv in the break room, it didn't really bother me. I just read soap opera magazines and romance novels!

Easter isn't a huge deal in Utah, though that's changing as more non-Mormons move in. Mormons understand Easter, but more than once I've had to explain why Good Friday is such a big deal, not to mention the whole Holy Week thing.

So today isn't a huge holiday in the US, right?

No, but I think schools here are closed.

Oh, THAT'S why there was no traffic on my morning commute.

Lots of kids here at work today.

Good Friday and Easter were bigger things in northern MI than in NC. Which seems odd, but there it is.

Day off for me! Woot. Except for the six things I have to do today.

I'm working (because: freelancer, but also because I took yesterday off for the assisted living meeting) but Tim is off today and STILL IN BED. Sheesh.

Steph, that it is coming from the medical professionals makes it so it doesn't feel like a betrayal from family.

The problem there is: (1) he just ignores what the medical professionals say, and (2) his dementia means he forgets what they say anyway. During the meeting he disagreed loudly with the physical therapist's assessment of his (poor) balance and (poor) stamina, and then he asked why we were talking about a catheter. When he was reminded that he HAS a catheter in place (how do you forget something like that???), he asked "What's that for? Why is it still there?" And when he was reminded that it was removed last week to see if he could resume peeing on his own, he didn't remember that at all.

So at this point, medical professionals can -- and do -- make recommendations to him in the moment, but he pushes back because he's grumpy and I think he's given up on life. And then after about 5 minutes he forgets what they said anyway and he reverts back to what is familiar, which is his sons, so it's easiest for Tim and his brothers to just keep emphasizing that he needs more medical care than he can get at home, so that's why he's at the facility.

It's rough on them. Tim's oldest brother said yesterday, in an aside, that he just wanted to hear he was being a good son. Ouch.

I'm honestly not sure there's anything more brutal for family members than dementia. It's not like I have a ton of experience, but seeing my grandfather become a different person was really hard. It wasn't just not remembering things -- he acted in completely unfamiliar ways.

The process of dementia in a loved one is the hardest thing I've ever had to watch.