A Thanksgiving Story

(Disclaimer...those with weak stomachs might want to stop here)

About six years ago we had a full house for Thanksgiving. That rarely happened since my brother and his wife usually traveled to my sister-in-law's family's home in Dallas. My father and great aunt with Alzheimer's were both still alive. For those of you who haven't lived with an Alzheimer patient, it's always a challenge and you never know what to expect. This day was like every other day--the unexpected happened.

We were all sitting around the kitchen table after a huge feast. I had gotten up to prepare the whipped cream for the pumpkin pie. I'm not sure when it happened without anyone noticing, but my great aunt got up from the table and wandered off. I guess everyone was talking and since I was busy she was able to slip away.

I digress for a moment. When I got cancer, my friends got together and bought me a bassett hound named Lightning. Lightning was my great aunt's baby. She fed him everything. One Christams she received a box of Godiva chocolates and sat it on the floor. When she went to eat one, the entire box was gone. You guessed it...Lightning actually lived up to his name. He could steal food so fast you never knew he was there.

Back to the story...my great aunt had gotten up from the table. She had decided to avail herself of the ladies room. Not a good thing. Why? Alzheimer's patients frequently lose control of their bowels. So my aunt was wearing a diaper. She got into the bathroom and neglected to shut the bathroom door. When she removed the diaper, Lightning was right there to snatch it up.

Everyone is sitting in the kitchen talking and Lightning comes charging around the corner with my aunt's diaper and slams through the dog door as fast as he can go. And right behind him comes my great aunt, unclothed from the waist down, chasing him and yelling for him to "bring that back!"

After a satisfying meal, some good conversation, and some live entertainment, we thanked God for the blessing of family and a sense of humor that found us laughing at one of life's most embarrassing moments.

Here's hoping you have some wonderful (diaper-free) Thanksgiving memories,
Texas Fan