I meet a New Friend Every Weekend

About 4 years ago My Father mentioned that he was having issues remembering things.

Dad was born on the 21st of June, 1924. His name is Delwin Leroy Goheen, he is the second of four children born to Maurice Sebastian and Clara Goheen. He was born in Osborne County Kansas. He was not born in a hospital, but in a house. Dad served in the US Navy during World War II, and his ship sailed the Yangtze river - an LSCL # 73. Dad exemplifies "The Greatest Generation". He was a philosopher in his own way. He set his standards high, and he always tried to exceed his standard.

In my teens I often helped Dad as he hired out at night an weekends to make enough money support a wife and five kids. Back then I expect the food bills were enormous. Dad wired houses, fixed swamp coolers, built things, painted things, fixed lights and more. Each time we went to someone's house Dad made sure we wiped our shoes, or removed them before we went in, and we cleaned up so it looked as good or better than when we started.

Dad is a Distinguished Rifleman, and in fact the Kansas State Rifle Association has a Trophy named in recognition of his accomplishments and support.

But, Dad doesn't remember any of that. At first I noticed his short term memory was not working. We could talk in our weekly phone calls about what he did years ago, but not about what happened the day before. Then that memory started disappearing. Now I call him on Sundays and each time I call it is a brand new conversation with a new person. I introduce myself, and he is polite, but he really doesn't know who I am. We chat about the weather, his health and what he's been doing. He is pretty good on the health part, at that moment in time, but everything else just happens.

I've talked to staff on may occasions and they say he is very helpful, quiet, and polite. When given an opportunity he likes to go for rides in the care center's limousine. They like Del. I enjoy meeting my new fried every weekend, I hope in enjoys the calls.