First, apologies for this rant. I've cried at some of the news coverage over the last few weeks and realise how many peole are in desperately worse situations than me - and how anyone with dementia/caring for a dementia sufferer might be coping if their home has been affected I can barely think ...
Mum has been affected by the news coverage too - in that it has triggered memories of 60 years ago when she was affected by serious flooding in the NW - have managed to listen to her telling the tale several hundred times without losing too much patience!
A couple of weeks ago she started on about 'the tree'. Apparently the large tree in front of her house is responsible for the flooding on her driveway. It's the water coming off certain branches ...... (not what you'd really call flooding - just big puddles). Suggestions from myself and hubby that actually it was the rain that was the problem were dismissed ... and as the situation seemed harmless admit there was some amusement about her protestations. Then a couple of her neighbours mentioned it to me ... in concern because mum was becoming 'obsessional' , but they too with smiles on their faces.
Well, admit I 'lost it' this morning .... have tried to be logical with mum (silly me!) explaining that she lives in a 'dip' and naturally her driveway will be the one to always collect the biggest puddles, that the reason it still looks wet under the tree is because the tree shades the sunlight on certain areas and hence the water doesn't evaporate as quickly .... there are puddles everywhere because the drainage systems just can't cope with the amount of rain ..... etc etc etc ..... that trees don't produce water, the clouds do .... and if she wants to chop the tree down it won't stop the rain falling .....
When she announces: "I've rung the council and someone is coming out", mind flits between 'Gosh, it's a mean feat she has looked up a number and managed to dial it!' and 'OMG, would she really convince someone that a tree needs chopping down because of her misguided thinking?'
I'm wondering now if neighbours mentioned this to me previously because they were concerned not only for mum but for a 'key feature' in their area (it IS a beautiful old tree!) .... I'm wondering what other inapproriate phone calls she might be managing to make ..... I'm wondering if it's worth a phone call myself to the local council????? But what to say? 'Ignore any calls from the lady at XYZ'??????
I know the Police have a system whereby houses where incidents of domestic violence, for example, have been reported are 'flagged'....... is there anything I can do to protect mum - and all those who may be affected (including the tree! ) by her making inappropriate calls?????
Sorry for the long-winded rant ... but what started out as 'Oh, bless, she's really confused about this' seems to have raised a lot of issues ......
Love, Karen, x
Mum has been affected by the news coverage too - in that it has triggered memories of 60 years ago when she was affected by serious flooding in the NW - have managed to listen to her telling the tale several hundred times without losing too much patience!
A couple of weeks ago she started on about 'the tree'. Apparently the large tree in front of her house is responsible for the flooding on her driveway. It's the water coming off certain branches ...... (not what you'd really call flooding - just big puddles). Suggestions from myself and hubby that actually it was the rain that was the problem were dismissed ... and as the situation seemed harmless admit there was some amusement about her protestations. Then a couple of her neighbours mentioned it to me ... in concern because mum was becoming 'obsessional' , but they too with smiles on their faces.
Well, admit I 'lost it' this morning .... have tried to be logical with mum (silly me!) explaining that she lives in a 'dip' and naturally her driveway will be the one to always collect the biggest puddles, that the reason it still looks wet under the tree is because the tree shades the sunlight on certain areas and hence the water doesn't evaporate as quickly .... there are puddles everywhere because the drainage systems just can't cope with the amount of rain ..... etc etc etc ..... that trees don't produce water, the clouds do .... and if she wants to chop the tree down it won't stop the rain falling .....
When she announces: "I've rung the council and someone is coming out", mind flits between 'Gosh, it's a mean feat she has looked up a number and managed to dial it!' and 'OMG, would she really convince someone that a tree needs chopping down because of her misguided thinking?'
I'm wondering now if neighbours mentioned this to me previously because they were concerned not only for mum but for a 'key feature' in their area (it IS a beautiful old tree!) .... I'm wondering what other inapproriate phone calls she might be managing to make ..... I'm wondering if it's worth a phone call myself to the local council????? But what to say? 'Ignore any calls from the lady at XYZ'??????
I know the Police have a system whereby houses where incidents of domestic violence, for example, have been reported are 'flagged'....... is there anything I can do to protect mum - and all those who may be affected (including the tree! ) by her making inappropriate calls?????
Sorry for the long-winded rant ... but what started out as 'Oh, bless, she's really confused about this' seems to have raised a lot of issues ......
Love, Karen, x