February 9th at home.
So, I have been off on my own in the caravan to Benidorm including horrendous journeys both there and back and 5 weeks of contrasting hot and freezing cold weather but this is not about me!
Every night I was away other than when at sea, I phoned home and Pauline as well as regularly texting her. In every way she came across as being very content and even happy with her own company and having full control of TV remote. Her sons visited regularly including Jimmy who has been having treatment for skin cancer and Peter who called in about 3 times per week and Andy who visited ours to relieve her of having to get the bus to his although she wanted to use the bus!
In regard to her bus travels they included New Brighton, a trip she has never ever made before not even with me and was a trip she was very proud of. As well as her usual trips to Birkenhead and Liverpool she also got a bus to Hoylake in order to get some solace as to Grahame’s death.
Whilst there she walked down to the beach promenade where she sat on the seat where Grahame would sit with a cup of coffee whilst watching the wind farm Windmills being erected out on the horizon. After spending time there she walked up to his flat and, while standing there saw the lady who lived below Grahame’s flat and spoke to her about him. This approach led to the lady taking Pauline into her flat and sharing her memories of Grahame as a nice, quiet, polite young man over a hot cup of tea.
Then, notwithstanding the distance and the hill involved, walked back into Hoylake for the bus home. It was a very significant journey and one which I think has helped her come to terms with it all and she is, quite rightly, very proud of herself for carrying it out especially the seat on the prom and the chat with Grahame’s neighbour.
From what I can gather the only things that have let her down or annoyed her are the physical issues that prevent her doing so much more than she does and, as far as I can tell and what is the view of others, is that she just does not present with Dementia at all, amazing.
In summary of my absence and how she has coped, the verdict has to be that, at present, she is well able to live totally independently as long as help is available either via the phone or pendant alarm which means any decisions I may take to holiday alone in the foreseeable future are easier to make.
This then ends the year two of our Alzheimer’s journey journal as it was two years ago this month that diagnosed was made and the wonder drug, Donepizle prescribed which has so change possible outcomes.
As time goes on I will start with Year three’s journal but only if and when the disease makes significant headway or things happen of relevance and recording.
So, I have been off on my own in the caravan to Benidorm including horrendous journeys both there and back and 5 weeks of contrasting hot and freezing cold weather but this is not about me!
Every night I was away other than when at sea, I phoned home and Pauline as well as regularly texting her. In every way she came across as being very content and even happy with her own company and having full control of TV remote. Her sons visited regularly including Jimmy who has been having treatment for skin cancer and Peter who called in about 3 times per week and Andy who visited ours to relieve her of having to get the bus to his although she wanted to use the bus!
In regard to her bus travels they included New Brighton, a trip she has never ever made before not even with me and was a trip she was very proud of. As well as her usual trips to Birkenhead and Liverpool she also got a bus to Hoylake in order to get some solace as to Grahame’s death.
Whilst there she walked down to the beach promenade where she sat on the seat where Grahame would sit with a cup of coffee whilst watching the wind farm Windmills being erected out on the horizon. After spending time there she walked up to his flat and, while standing there saw the lady who lived below Grahame’s flat and spoke to her about him. This approach led to the lady taking Pauline into her flat and sharing her memories of Grahame as a nice, quiet, polite young man over a hot cup of tea.
Then, notwithstanding the distance and the hill involved, walked back into Hoylake for the bus home. It was a very significant journey and one which I think has helped her come to terms with it all and she is, quite rightly, very proud of herself for carrying it out especially the seat on the prom and the chat with Grahame’s neighbour.
From what I can gather the only things that have let her down or annoyed her are the physical issues that prevent her doing so much more than she does and, as far as I can tell and what is the view of others, is that she just does not present with Dementia at all, amazing.
In summary of my absence and how she has coped, the verdict has to be that, at present, she is well able to live totally independently as long as help is available either via the phone or pendant alarm which means any decisions I may take to holiday alone in the foreseeable future are easier to make.
This then ends the year two of our Alzheimer’s journey journal as it was two years ago this month that diagnosed was made and the wonder drug, Donepizle prescribed which has so change possible outcomes.
As time goes on I will start with Year three’s journal but only if and when the disease makes significant headway or things happen of relevance and recording.
