The Adventures of Poppet & Other Stories

Bikerbeth

Registered User
Feb 11, 2019
2,119
0
Bedford
So glad to see you back. Your thread helped me so much after my Mum’s diagnosis this time last year and I did wonder what had happened and if you were ok.
There has certainly been a lot going on. I hope you continue to heal
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Thank you @Bikerbeth .. your message last year really helped me when I was going through a tough time. Don’t know if I told you at the time

I’m doing so much better. I get to smell the coffee now. It’s a fantastic smell

I've said I just want time. No one gets that. But I’m taking time. I spent four days with youngest & granddaughter for her first birthday then a day with an old friend .. it felt amazing not to be rushed
 

Bikerbeth

Registered User
Feb 11, 2019
2,119
0
Bedford
Thank you @Bikerbeth .. your message last year really helped me when I was going through a tough time. Don’t know if I told you at the time

I’m doing so much better. I get to smell the coffee now. It’s a fantastic smell

I've said I just want time. No one gets that. But I’m taking time. I spent four days with youngest & granddaughter for her first birthday then a day with an old friend .. it felt amazing not to be rushed
Unfortunately time always does seem to be a luxury nowadays for everyone. So, so glad you got to spend some unrushed time. I guess the injury will also mean some downtime.
 

Dimpsy

Registered User
Sep 2, 2019
1,906
0
Hello @Sam Luvit, we haven't met yet, I'm a newbie and it's nice to make your acquaintance. I've been trying puzzle what cm stands for, please tell me - because Google won't! x
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
I just decided I was going to take tine. I need time. I know you will get that .. as only people going through this can

I’ve worked out what I need to live & that’s all I’m prepared to do. I don’t care if others think that’s lazy ... I’ve worked harder at dementia than they ever will

I’m doing the lowest paid job, but the reward isn’t in cash. If I can get a laugh, a smile, sometimes a thank you, that’s my day made

This injury means I’ll get time just for me n Pooch. But, I’m already missing out on the smiles when I walk in a door & calm out “Hi it’s Sam ..”
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @Dimpsy
CM is Captain Morgan ... spiced is nice too
It’s what got me through caring for mum at times
I had a thread Can I .. Should I while I was questioning if I could or should look after my mum
CM featured a lot in that equation lol
I loved my mum. We didn’t have a great relationship as I was growing up, but I desperately wanted her to care ... as an adult we got closer.., then Alz hit & I lost the chance
It’s been a voyage of discovery about who I am & what u can do
Ask anything & everything. The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask
99% of people will do everything they can to help you .. ignore the others
My best advice is to start your own thread if you haven’t already. You’ll get answers to questions & supprt for you
Join in on anything & everything that strikes a cord with you
TP (talking point) is 98% about helping each other through the toughest thing anyone can go through
You can rant. You can moan. It’s a safe place where you shouldn’t get any criticism for complaining about how rubbish life can get
Join in here any time you like
 

Palerider

Registered User
Aug 9, 2015
4,160
0
56
North West
I’m not going back to the beginning, I don’t have the energy and it serves little purpose. A little synopsis might help link my two lives though ....


I had a year, while I lived in limbo, the house went under offer, but stalled as my buyer couldn’t sell. I realised I could go a week without seeing anyone, without talking to anyone but to Pooch, so I went out and got a job. The house went back under offer shortly afterwards ... isn’t that always the way!


So things moved along slowly and I slowly packed up and went to work and walked Pooch. I saw my brother every week, taking him fishing, sitting with him by the lake watching the swans and learning how to spot where the fish were. It was peaceful, but things were moving along


Eventually we got to a point where the buyers started pushing, they wanted to be in for Christmas, but nothing more definite than that. So, I suggested dates, I insisted on three weeks between exchange and completion, I’d had one sale fall through, I wanted more certainty this time. The dates were agreed


The buyer cane round for a second viewing. Telling me I was holding everything up! Cheeky mare. I’d run myself ragged getting my brother into the solicitor and sorting all the paperwork. My solicitor confirmed that she had everything she needed from me


On the day of exchange ... it fell through ... my buyer had failed to complete his paperwork with his seller. Silence followed. Twelve days later it was back on, but with the same completion date. I baulked. No chance of being ready in nine days. My solicitor assured me so long as it was done at some time that day, it was fine. Don’t believe solicitors. it was not fine


I don’t want to re-hash that day. It was horrible, they were nasty. I was a mess. They didn’t care and one after another told me how disgusting I was to not be ready at noon. Three hours of their bullying and I almost wept


I deal with it by telling myself “they have a massive mortgage and I have their cash in my bank”. It’s helping


Anyway. I couldn’t find anywhere that wouId rent to me with Pooch in tow. Nothing. Nada! So, I looked at Poppet and decided to give it a go. The sixteenth site I phoned turned out to be the only one in the area open over winter! Fingers crossed I drove out to see it, praying it was half decent. It’s blooming lovely. Clean. Well maintained. Friendly. Perfect


The week of the move, several people who were going to help, couldn’t. Poppet decided not to start. I plodded on, what else could I do? I chatted up a recovery guy and he moved Poppet to site. At least I had somewhere to sleep. Unfortunately he moved her the day before moving day, instead of the week before, so I didn’t get the chance to kit her out, make a bed up etc


Moving day. Well, that went a bit array, the charity shop stuff, the storage stuff, some of the rubbish and all my stuff went in the same van and everything went to the site. All dumped on the grass outside Poppet. Yikes. Not what I needed


So, there I am, surrounded by stuff, with Pooch and Poppet, our new home. I plugged in the cable and .... nothing. No lights. No heating. No nothing. It was blooming freezing. I phoned the emergency mechanic and made the bed by torchlight while I waited. An hour later I was £££ worse off, with an improvised extension lead for a light and a promise of a new part “tomorrow”. An hour later the light went out, the heater went off and Pooch and I went to bed to get warm.


The next day my brother arrived and we figured how to put up the awning, moved lots of stuff inside before it could get wet and then I waited for the mechanic to arrive. Early evening and I had light and heat. it took days to get warm! Pooch was not impressed. He used me as his heater lol


We’ve settled into a routine. We get up around six and go for a walk. It’s total silence. its so peaceful. Pooch runs around sniffing, scampers around in the leaves and checks I’m still there. He’s so sweet. Then it’s back to Poppet, where I have three coffees while Pooch has his breakfast, then snuggles on my lap. Around nine, I walk up the hill for a nice long hot shower, then back to Poppet for another coffee and Pooch snuggle


We then walk up the hill and sit by reception, while I pick up emails, swop books at the library and amble back to Poppet, more coffee and snuggles.


The days I work, Pooch goes to sleep on my bed, he wakes up as I come home, all bleary eyed as I come in. He was pretty excited at first, but he’s settled well. I think he’s worked out that I’m going to come back and he doesn’t get in a panic now.


Christmas Day was perfect. Absolute silence. Crisp and clear. I’d even managed to borrow a gas BBQ from my brother and cooked a full English breakfast. I’d agreed to do a few hours Christmas night, but I only saw clients I knew and apart from one unwell person, it was actually very nice.


So .... that’s the brief synopsis lol

Yikes, thats a bit of a journey @Sam Luvit and a brave move too.
 

Dimpsy

Registered User
Sep 2, 2019
1,906
0
Hi @Dimpsy
CM is Captain Morgan ... spiced is nice too
It’s what got me through caring for mum at times
I had a thread Can I .. Should I while I was questioning if I could or should look after my mum
CM featured a lot in that equation lol
I loved my mum. We didn’t have a great relationship as I was growing up, but I desperately wanted her to care ... as an adult we got closer.., then Alz hit & I lost the chance
It’s been a voyage of discovery about who I am & what u can do
Ask anything & everything. The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask
99% of people will do everything they can to help you .. ignore the others
My best advice is to start your own thread if you haven’t already. You’ll get answers to questions & supprt for you
Join in on anything & everything that strikes a cord with you
TP (talking point) is 98% about helping each other through the toughest thing anyone can go through
You can rant. You can moan. It’s a safe place where you shouldn’t get any criticism for complaining about how rubbish life can get
Join in here any time you like

Thank you @Sam Luvit, I will definitely read your thread and have thought about starting my own, the first step is always the hardest isn't it.
I care for my mum who has AZ; at what stage we still can't decide and I think that may be my thread starting point.
I have gained much knowledge since discovering TP, reading other people's stories has given me confidence to go forward because I know I'm not alone, whatever problem we are facing, someone has been through the same and is willing to share. It's an extraordinary site, the utter despair of people dealing wiith a PWD is always countered by the kindness and support of others.

I hope your arm is on the mend, and taking time out, living simply with no pressure sounds like the balm that will heal your soul, I'm very envious.
I shall look forward to reading about your adventures with Pooch and Poppet and as for CM - very nice, but I haven't tried the spice!
 

love.dad.but..

Registered User
Jan 16, 2014
4,962
0
Kent
Crikey @Sam Luvit! Good to have you back. Read your updating message and thought great after all that, to have peace and time to think then...wham oh no!..next message and poor you. Hope for a speedy recovery with the help of CM in moderation of course!

I had 2 completion day moves with nightmare buyers, so stressful and makes you angry as hell.
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @Palerider

You know how it is, after entering the world of Alz ... nothing can seem beyond us .. we’ve faced the worst and we survive

I might have thought about living in a tin can, but doubt I’d have taken the actual jump. This meant I had to, so it was more necessity than bravery :rolleyes: I’m loving it. It’s perfect after the years of stress :D
 

Jaded'n'faded

Registered User
Jan 23, 2019
5,258
0
High Peak
Hi @Sam Luvit great to hear from you again - you've been much missed!

I'm now in the 'taking some time' phase too (mum died in October) and finding it challenging at times but generally good. Waiting for probate now but will have to do the house buying thing in a few months - not looking forward to it!

Sounds like you are still enjoying your work too. (Bet you have some great stories!)

Enjoy your much deserved CM and hope the arm heals quickly :)

And a big bowl of scooby snacks for Pooch, your faithful companion through it all :)
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @Dimpsy

I just sort of jumped right in with mine. I never thought anyone would read it, it was just my pressure release vent lol

When I read other peoples threads, I find it really helpful if they complete their details, even if it’s just England, Scotland or America. It helps people to give relevant suggestions. The support available differs from place to place. Working, living with PWD, or caring from a distance, all change suggestions

Don’t get too hung up on what stage your mum is at. Somewhere there is a list of the stages, 1 to 7 I think. You can pretty much guess from the description, although there will be times when she’s mostly a “3” with some “4” symptoms showing. In the early days, I asked one doctor ... his reply, while blunt, was pretty true

“It doesn’t matter what stage your mum is at. She’s still got Alzheimers, she’s still going to get worse and she’s still going to die”

Many people say TP has been a life saver. It certainly kept me sane, gave me a place to be brutally honest about my feelings and not be judged when I wanted to scream

This place is good for my soul for sure. I will rejoin civilisation one day, but not yet.
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @love.dad.but..

Good to see you. I always think of standing outside Argos with a lamp trying to work out which person would be you. Must do it again one day :p

CM is being taken “for medicinal purposes” :D:D

When I find somewhere to buy, I’m going to leave the country and sit on a beach, not returning till it’s all done ... or that’s my plan :rolleyes: I have no desire to go through that again. When I bought my house, I sat with the sellers drinking coffee and chatting till nearly 5pm. No stress. No tantrums. Just adults waiting for the paperwork to catch up ;)
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Awww shucks @Jaded'n'faded , don’t make me blush

Sorry about your mum, it’s the pits isn’t it. I kept telling myself “ mums not in pain” .. somehow that helped. So much paperwork, bank accounts close when you need them open for a week to sort payments, Probate messes with your mind and then takes forever to come back. I’m still sorting the last bits, now the house is finally sold

Im trying to motivate myself into house hunting ... not got the enthusiasm if I’m honest. It will just be a base ... although with a massive kitchen so I can bake. I’m looking for the kitchen space, with house attached :D

I’m still getting lots out of working. It saddens me that some people seem ashamed that a family member has dementia and get won’t get them help :(

Don’t you worry about Pooch, he has settled well and spends most of his time snuggled up
 

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