The rest of the conversation…
Mom was deep into delusions about my father last night. She said: I asked him to come watch TV or eat but he’s not responding and I worry about this. I keep talking to dad but he doesn’t answer. He responds when he feels like getting up and having something to eat. I think he’s […]
Follow up
I did call mom last night in regards to the food left in the fridge. She said she had no idea she’d left it and didn’t know what she was thinking. She did think the penicillin reference was funny and asked me to throw out the spoiled food. Specifically to burn it in the fireplace […]
Hardcore reality can be depressing
I found after writing three post in a row yesterday, I was down in the dumps. The writing helps clarify, define and sharpen the ‘mom moments.’ It places all the details of a subject or event in one definitive place.While things are still in my noggin, they are mixed up with other the people, places, […]
A Caregiver’s Checklist
This is an actual document created by the Alzheimer’s Association. I received it at the support group meeting last night, which, by the way, was very worthwhile. Upon returning home my husband and I were looking at the materials that were handed out and I started reading this checklist out loud. While there is nothing […]
Who’s Responsible?
The weekend before my father was admitted to the hospital, my mother called me from the Island to tell me he was experiencing tightness in his chest and was listless. I got very excited with her and told her to call the doctor. She said she couldn’t because it was the weekend. I responded that […]
Coaching
When my father was in the hospital he was very confused most of the time. My daughter, an RN, BSN, explained to us that Elderly + Infection = Confusion. It was devastating to see my dad this way. He knew he was out of it at certain points, making it even more tragic. About two […]
Support Groups
This evening I start attending a support group for Adult Children of Aging Parents that meets once a month. I have high hopes that this will be a huge stress reliever. On the 17th I’ll begin attending a Caregiver Support group that meets twice a month. The social worker who did the ‘intake’ for me […]
Charity
When my father was in the hospital last February in Seattle, my mother and I made an overnight run to their Island home to collect bills and water the plants. I walked into a paper nightmare. This included finding four years of unfiled tax returns, and all the paper associated with such. It was in […]
The Checkbook
This is a classic yet extreme example of what’s happening with my mom. On the 30th, as I dropped her off from a visit to meet her great grandson, I asked her for her blue checkbook in order to update the register. This is the account she uses to pay bills for her mainland house, […]
The Beginnings
My father and I started talking about my mother’s state of mind in August of 2004. I had noticed small things. Information duplicated in subsequent e-mails here and there. I contacted my father when she e-mailed me about something (heck if I can recall what it was about!), then called me about it 36 hours […]
Dementia Dance - Travels with Mom 