Please don't throw me away, breaking my promise

[kindred]

Me again! An unusual visit today in which my expertise was called upon. There I was agreeing with OH that the managing director had got things wrong, when one of the Activity Nurses called to me, Geraldine, do you know how to get rid of moths?
Now actually I do, I am quite good at this, so we established whether they were carpet or clothes (both) and I wrote a list of directions on the subject, telling her not to panic and think management rather than total extermination ... Feel very chuffed with self on that one!
The hairdresser had cut OH's hair and even shaved his eyebrows and he looks so nice, as do the other residents. Today's activity was hand massage with a lovely scented cream. As well as bursting into song whenever mood takes us.
Another interesting encounter was when a new visitor passed where I was sitting with OH. Lovely lady, OH in the nursing home, younger than my OH I think. She passed me and was agreeing with the Activity Nurse that all was lovely on her OH front, then came back, held me round the shoulders and whispered in my ear: NIGHTMARE.
Hey ho and onwards ...

 

[Jezzer]

Me again! An unusual visit today in which my expertise was called upon. There I was agreeing with OH that the managing director had got things wrong, when one of the Activity Nurses called to me, Geraldine, do you know how to get rid of moths?
Now actually I do, I am quite good at this, so we established whether they were carpet or clothes (both) and I wrote a list of directions on the subject, telling her not to panic and think management rather than total extermination ... Feel very chuffed with self on that one!
The hairdresser had cut OH's hair and even shaved his eyebrows and he looks so nice, as do the other residents. Today's activity was hand massage with a lovely scented cream. As well as bursting into song whenever mood takes us.
Another interesting encounter was when a new visitor passed where I was sitting with OH. Lovely lady, OH in the nursing home, younger than my OH I think. She passed me and was agreeing with the Activity Nurse that all was lovely on her OH front, then came back, held me round the shoulders and whispered in my ear: NIGHTMARE.
Hey ho and onwards ...

Hmmmm. So where does your extensive knowledge of moths come from then??? I am intrigued! Glad you had another good visit - the home sounds great. Well I'm just home from seeing mum. Fast asleep again until staff came to wash her and put fresh nightie on. I did manage to coax her to take some coffee and, later, soup. Doc came - she has no signs of infection, temp is fine as is BP etc. He doesn't know if this is just a bad spell or if illness entering final stages. The staff must send for him again if mum begins to display any signs of distress. Staff are incredibly kind to me - always have been. I was asked if I wanted some lunch but, as lovely as the food is, I have little appetite. Am just eating bits and pieces when I feel like it. I am sitting here and can't really say how I feel other than anxiety is bad. Now for ironing - a job I hate but has to be done. @smartieplum - will msg you laterx

 

[kindred]

Hmmmm. So where does your extensive knowledge of moths come from then??? I am intrigued! Glad you had another good visit - the home sounds great. Well I'm just home from seeing mum. Fast asleep again until staff came to wash her and put fresh nightie on. I did manage to coax her to take some coffee and, later, soup. Doc came - she has no signs of infection, temp is fine as is BP etc. He doesn't know if this is just a bad spell or if illness entering final stages. The staff must send for him again if mum begins to display any signs of distress. Staff are incredibly kind to me - always have been. I was asked if I wanted some lunch but, as lovely as the food is, I have little appetite. Am just eating bits and pieces when I feel like it. I am sitting here and can't really say how I feel other than anxiety is bad. Now for ironing - a job I hate but has to be done. @smartieplum - will msg you laterx

Oh thank you, thank you. Well done on managing to coax your mum to take some coffee and soup. I am so glad the staff are so kind to you. Great that your mum has no signs of infection. Of course your anxiety is bad, what a journey this all is, what endless episodes of trauma.
Oh well, my knowledge of carpet moths simply comes from combatting them from childhood, same with clothes moths which were kind of accepted when I grew up but seem to have become a matter for great panic now. Decontamination units seem to be required these days. Also, hum, comes from working with students as I do for two days a week, because a lot of students have no idea about housekeeping. Boy, I could tell some tales although not allowed to. Let's just say, for example, that bleach is not a suitable substance to use as a washing up liquid ...Thank you so very much for posting, greatly appreciated.

 

[Jezzer]

Oh thank you, thank you. Well done on managing to coax your mum to take some coffee and soup. I am so glad the staff are so kind to you. Great that your mum has no signs of infection. Of course your anxiety is bad, what a journey this all is, what endless episodes of trauma.
Oh well, my knowledge of carpet moths simply comes from combatting them from childhood, same with clothes moths which were kind of accepted when I grew up but seem to have become a matter for great panic now. Decontamination units seem to be required these days. Also, hum, comes from working with students as I do for two days a week, because a lot of students have no idea about housekeeping. Boy, I could tell some tales although not allowed to. Let's just say, for example, that bleach is not a suitable substance to use as a washing up liquid ...Thank you so very much for posting, greatly appreciated.

Bleach not a suitable substance to use as a washing up liquid. Ah. Say no more!!!! I bet you could write a book! Thank you so much for your comforting words and your lovely, gentle humour. Helps me so much.

 

[kindred]

Bleach not a suitable substance to use as a washing up liquid. Ah. Say no more!!!! I bet you could write a book! Thank you so much for your comforting words and your lovely, gentle humour. Helps me so much.

Oh thank you! I can only hint about the attempt to make toffee in a hall of residence that ended up breaking a window and the toaster ...I love hearing from you, thank you with all heart.

 

[Jezzer]

Oh thank you! I can only hint about the attempt to make toffee in a hall of residence that ended up breaking a window and the toaster ...I love hearing from you, thank you with all heart.

Oh gosh - toffee, broken window and a toaster. Three things I would not have placed together. The mind boggles!!

 

[kindred]

Oh gosh - toffee, broken window and a toaster. Three things I would not have placed together. The mind boggles!!

Ah, perhaps a little more then. Imagine a cooker with a tin of condensed milk in a pan with water in it and the pan boiling dry. Then imagine said tin becoming a weapon of war, taking off at a rate of knots, hitting the toaster and then carrying on towards the window ...
One day I will tell you the story of the science students and the light bulb.

 

[Jezzer]

Oh well now you've got me hooked! I hope nobody was injured during this "poltergeist" phenomenon? I guess nobody enjoyed any toffee unless someone popped to the nearest shop?!

 

[kindred]

Oh well now you've got me hooked! I hope nobody was injured during this "poltergeist" phenomenon? I guess nobody enjoyed any toffee unless someone popped to the nearest shop?!

No, no one was injured and they were only alerted to it by the sound of breaking glass in the kitchen. They had of course, wandered off to watch a DVD while leaving the tin to boil on the hob. As you do!

 

[carolynp]

Me again! An unusual visit today in which my expertise was called upon. There I was agreeing with OH that the managing director had got things wrong, when one of the Activity Nurses called to me, Geraldine, do you know how to get rid of moths?
Now actually I do, I am quite good at this, so we established whether they were carpet or clothes (both) and I wrote a list of directions on the subject, telling her not to panic and think management rather than total extermination ... Feel very chuffed with self on that one!
The hairdresser had cut OH's hair and even shaved his eyebrows and he looks so nice, as do the other residents. Today's activity was hand massage with a lovely scented cream. As well as bursting into song whenever mood takes us.
Another interesting encounter was when a new visitor passed where I was sitting with OH. Lovely lady, OH in the nursing home, younger than my OH I think. She passed me and was agreeing with the Activity Nurse that all was lovely on her OH front, then came back, held me round the shoulders and whispered in my ear: NIGHTMARE.
Hey ho and onwards ...

Oh so funny about Nightmare! It’s 6 am here, the painters are due in a few minutes - but will they COME? - and yet I’m laughing! Thank you!

 

[kindred]

Oh so funny about Nightmare! It’s 6 am here, the painters are due in a few minutes - but will they COME? - and yet I’m laughing! Thank you!

I hope the painters come! As for the whispered nightmare, well this testifies to the double lives we lead, grinning away like idiots as though dementia is such bloody fun and games!

 

[Jezzer]

Oh gosh - toffee, broken window and a toaster. Three things I would not have placed together. The mind boggles!!

I hope the painters come! As for the whispered nightmare, well this testifies to the double lives we lead, grinning away like idiots as though dementia is such bloody fun and games!

@carolynp I hope painters come too and all goes well! @kindred Double lives indeed. I'm dreading what today may bring but when shop assistant says "how are you" I will smile and reply "fine thanks". We just do it but I want to scream "bloody awful if you really want to know". Won't of course will we?

 

[kindred]

@carolynp I hope painters come too and all goes well! @kindred Double lives indeed. I'm dreading what today may bring but when shop assistant says "how are you" I will smile and reply "fine thanks". We just do it but I want to scream "bloody awful if you really want to know". Won't of course will we?

No. Strange mixture of pressures keep us shut up. Pity sucks of course. No one wants to admit they are falling off the perch.

 

[carolynp]

No. Strange mixture of pressures keep us shut up. Pity sucks of course. No one wants to admit they are falling off the perch.

Yes very true. Also, though, I always find if I mention even just in passing that my OH has dementia and hence I’m a bit frazzled/forgetful/whatever, people look polite but unconcerned, as though it’s not a big problem at all. And I must confess I’d have been exactly the same before Recent Events opened my eyes. I could never even grasp why dementia was so feared. Just a bit of forgetfulness, the afflicted one fading gently and sweetly away, such a benign disease! I had NO IDEA so I suppose I shouldn’t even be mildly surprised now when people look at me with blank inattention as I silently plead for sympathy.

 

[carolynp]

@carolynp I hope painters come too and all goes well! @kindred Double lives indeed. I'm dreading what today may bring but when shop assistant says "how are you" I will smile and reply "fine thanks". We just do it but I want to scream "bloody awful if you really want to know". Won't of course will we?

Hi Jezz just sending you deep sympathy about your mother and wondering how you are going with all that right now? Oh and btw the painters actually came!!! Thank you for your thoughts, they must have done the trick!

 

[Jezzer]

Hi Jezz just sending you deep sympathy about your mother and wondering how you are going with all that right now? Oh and btw the painters actually came!!! Thank you for your thoughts, they must have done the trick!

Hi there
Thanks for both your posts - glad painters are all done! My positive vibes might have helped a bit! So many people haven't got a clue about dementia and, in all honesty, until mum's sister developed it, I didn't realise just what was involved. Mum's is different in how it's progressed but I know what's coming and I'm just dreading it. I'm getting ready to visit now and, as always just lately, there is the knot in my tum, the "fuzzy" head, a slight tremor in my hands. And I keep saying "get a grip - you're not a child!". Lasts about five mins though! I'm driving and so when I do, I just focus on that. I'm so aware I'm in control of what could be a dangerous weapon and I must concentrate completely. This feels like a strange limbo - life goes on but I'm not really part of "the norm". Does that make sense? Thank you so much for asking about how things are - it means so much. Thank goodness for TP and the wonderful folk on here. Sending hugs and warm thoughtsx

 

[kindred]

Hi there
Thanks for both your posts - glad painters are all done! My positive vibes might have helped a bit! So many people haven't got a clue about dementia and, in all honesty, until mum's sister developed it, I didn't realise just what was involved. Mum's is different in how it's progressed but I know what's coming and I'm just dreading it. I'm getting ready to visit now and, as always just lately, there is the knot in my tum, the "fuzzy" head, a slight tremor in my hands. And I keep saying "get a grip - you're not a child!". Lasts about five mins though! I'm driving and so when I do, I just focus on that. I'm so aware I'm in control of what could be a dangerous weapon and I must concentrate completely. This feels like a strange limbo - life goes on but I'm not really part of "the norm". Does that make sense? Thank you so much for asking about how things are - it means so much. Thank goodness for TP and the wonderful folk on here. Sending hugs and warm thoughtsx

Oh thank you all so much for posting I feel dizzy and disorientated a lot of the time, too. Yes, indeed, life goes on but I'm outside the norm too.

 

[carolynp]

I

Oh thank you all so much for posting I feel dizzy and disorientated a lot of the time, too. Yes, indeed, life goes on but I'm outside the norm too.

I’d been worrying about how mentally lost and distracted I get, how I just can’t focus and forget so many things, especially when OH interrupts my train of thought but also in general. Then when our son was here, visiting for five days a week or so ago, I noticed that after about 48 hours he started getting lost too. So I am not worrying about myself any more, I think it just comes with the territory.

 

[Jezzer]

Well I walked into mum's room and was greeted with that gorgeous smile!! Oh what a lovely surprise. Still very tired but at 90, I reckon she's entitled to be tired. Nice little chat - all of which made sense - then back to her own little world. An emotional rollercoaster but one day at a time.

 

[carolynp]

Well I walked into mum's room and was greeted with that gorgeous smile!! Oh what a lovely surprise. Still very tired but at 90, I reckon she's entitled to be tired. Nice little chat - all of which made sense - then back to her own little world. An emotional rollercoaster but one day at a time.

Oh so lovely! Thanks for letting us know. We all have to treasure these moments don’t we?!