Good and Bad days

[gillianw]

Hi All

This morning 8.30am spoke to my mam she sounded fine I thought it's going to be a good day the sun is shinning , by 9am she had phoned me back as confused as ever this seems to be happenning more and more .

The pills ladie had been all was well . I dont understand why she would be so confused with in a half an hour.

Is this how it's going to be more and more confusion then not remembering at all can you tell me .

She tell's me that she is at home but I know she does not know where home is any more on bad days.( perhaps an old house she used to live in with my dad when they were younger before I was born )

As her illness get's a hold day by day she slips futher away from me it's sad .

I try to take each day as it is but sometimes I am so angry at Alzheimers it' so very cruel on a brighter note I do have lots of good memories like at the seaside with the biggest ice cream that we could eat that was after the fish and chips we eaten together .

A very sad Gillianw .
PS
Im getting lots of new idears reading through your posts and feel not so alone
Thankyou .

 

[Lynne]

Hi Gillian

I agree, Alzheimer's (& other kinds of dementia) is a very cruel disease, for whole families and not just the immediate sufferer.

I often find that Mum can be quite bright one moment, and then half an hour later be confused. Sometimes this may be after she's had a nap & woken up a bit 'woolly headed', or after she has been trying to do something she can no longer manage to do. Her short-term memory is down to about 5 minutes, and she can no longer take in written information (like big notes saying things like "gone to dentist, back in half an hour").

It's all so very sad.

 

[Amy]

Hiya Gillian,
Thats the thing about TP...it ant change what is happening...but at least we dont feel so alone in the situation.....there's always someone to talk to who will understand.
Love Helen

 

[Margarita]

I often find that Mum can be quite bright one moment, and then half an hour later be confused. Sometimes this may be after she's had a nap & woken up a bit 'woolly headed', or after she has been trying to do something she can no longer manage to do.

I find that also with my mother and all in only half an hour.

Mum be wash dress , looking for her lip stick in bag can't find it ,so ask me to look for it . she be sitting down next Min I look back at mum she sleeping . I 'll I found it , so wake mum up . she she wake up asking when the lady coming to wash her why is she so late .

Then a look of shock on her face when I tell her the lady already been gone, while mum telling me are you sure ?

It is sad , but for me after 6 year of caring I just got use t living with the saddness , that it does not saden me anymore just have learn to except it going to happen .

 

[gillianw]

Hi Lynne

You have just discribed my mum to a T.

I dont know if on bad days she can remember anything from 5 minuits ago.

It seems to be after a nap that she is at her baddest but it's great that in her foggyest moment she can remember my home telephone number and phone me .

I havent spoken to her for a few hours because sometimes it's best to leave her then she comes back in to our world .
I try to get on with my things but my minds always with my mam it's nearly time for the next step which is come and live with me or a care home Im not sure of what to do .

Gillianw

 

[gillianw]

Hi Margarita

Like you am always helping to look for things handbag ,glasses,purse,teeth I try not to think about the teeth to much as you do learn to do stuff that you thought you could never do.

I have also been looking after my mam for about 8 years and you do get used to the sadness and wish that it would all get better in a flash. we all live in hope.
Gillianw

 

[gillianw]

Hi Helen

Your right TP isnt going to make things better but what Im finding that its a great way of letting of steam and helping one another by just being there .
Gillianw

 

[Quack]

Looking for things...

Hi All

As much as I hate the whole process of caring for mum (even more so now she's in care) there are moments that make you smile even at 'inappropriate' things.

I have no idea how my mother has managed to hide 5 hearing aids ( they don't want to give us another), three handbags ( finally found after three months in various cupboards, wardrobes etc. But the process of searching has brought me into contact with the little things she's hidden away or kept over the years and brought back memories of happier times.

I just adjust timings now to allow searching time before we go anywhere so glasses, hearing aid etc can be found/substituted before a trip out.

Quack