Slow

Daughter is slow. Daughter is very slow. Daughter is very slow at everything (except showers, but that doesn't count because she doesn't wash herself in the shower-- she just gets wet). After church today, we headed for the City to visit a man in the hospital. Daughter brought along some art supplies to keep her busy. When we arrived at the hospital, I gathered my purse and my Bible and got out. Daughter gathered her art supplies and slowly got out of the car. I had stopped on my way to the hospital to wait for her, because I knew that she wouldn’t be able to find me if I got too far ahead of her.

Because it was a Sunday, there weren’t many people in the waiting rooms downstairs. I pointed to a table where Daughter could set herself up, and headed for the elevators. When I came down, I spoke to Daughter and told her I was ready. I continued walking, but slowed down. When I was almost across the lobby (this is a big) hospital, I turned to see if Daughter was following. She was just standing up and beginning to gather her belongings into the backpack she had brought alone. I stood waiting, not very patiently, for her to put everything away and catch up.

Once we got in the car, she quickly fell asleep. This hospital is over 60 miles away, so she had time for a nice nap, and I was very jealous because I wanted to sleep. As we approached Town, I told her to wake up and get ready, because we were going to stop at the grocery store. She protested that she was too tired and asked if we had to go today. I asked her if she wanted milk for breakfast and something to take in her lunch tomorrow. She didn’t know.

We arrived at the grocery store, and I got out of the car with my purse, opened the back door and grabbed the two 5-gallon water bottles we had brought to refill, went and got a shopping cart to put them in, and turned around. Daughter was just getting out of the car, carrying nothing.

We finished our shopping and came home to Tiny Village. I pulled into the driveway and stopped before the garage. I always let Daughter out before I pull into the garage, as there is a ladder hanging on the wall next to her door, and she is famous for banging the door into it and chipping the paint. Daughter never begins to gather her things until the car has come to a complete stop. Before she gets out, she has to dig through whatever bags she has brought along to find her key to the house, because this slow individual couldn‘t possibly wait for me to get out of the car and come open the door. After she got out I pulled into the garage and gathered my purse and both of our water bottles. She was still trying to get her key in the door when I reached it.

There are times when I want to tell her to pick up the pace, but I know that if I do, she’ll slow down even more. Today I came in the house and made sure I was where I couldn’t see or hear her. My patience is gone, and I don’t want to see her move like molasses in the middle of winter. She keeps talking about getting a job in the community. At this point her inability/unwillingness to pick up the pace and the tics she develops when encouraged to speed up are among her biggest barriers. I do have a better understanding now of people who get frustrated with my lack of speed. Maybe I should let them spend a day with Daughter.

I just remembered. Tonight we need to fill the pill boxes for the next 4 weeks. I'm going to need to pray for some patience. I move about 6 times faster than she does on that, and I probably should double my blood pressure medication in preparation for working with her on it. I guess I'll have yet another opportunity to grow my patience tonight.