Please..if there is a god out there..

[gigi]

It's possible there is a funding issue. I don't know that for a fact...and I am too tired to even think about that aspect of things.

Inevitably money comes into it. If Eric was to go into permanent care I would certainly have to return to work in order to survive.

To be honest there's no way at the moment I can think that far ahead.

An old friend has visited today..because I had a chiropody appointment she went up to mutti's and prepared lunch there for us...and we had some good catch up time...

Eric has been very subdued, confused and sleepy. The sitter woke him up for lunch..our old friend came back here for a cup of tea. He doesn't now know who she is but was delighted to see her anyway...

Humble thanks for your continued support..on and off line.

Love xx

 

[Vonny]

Oh Gigi, of course you can't think about working at the moment. If Eric goes into permanent residential care you'll need a few months of solid sleeping.

I hope Eric's sleepiness today continues throughout the night and that you have some unbroken sleep.

Take care xx

 

[Kendra]

Well you are on line now gigi so if you did get back to sleep it wasn`t for long.
Perhaps you should have phoned your CPN while you were having your cup of tea at 3.33am. to ask how she was.

What a lovely idea!
I would ring them each and every time your sleep is broken, and explain that you feel in need of support to cope at that hour

 

[gigi]

Thanks Vonny,

I hope Eric's sleepiness today continues throughout the night and that you have some unbroken sleep.

It doesn't work like that...oh how I wish it did.

After 24 hours of "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves"....interspersed with the Sound of Music at bed-time last night...Eric is lively and watching the Philadelphia Experiment...he keeps on shouting me to watch it with him...granted we haven't seen this one for a couple of weeks...but it's more than I can bear.

He is sleeping now in his chair. One minute he's shouting for me ..the next he's asleep.

The carer will be in soon so we'll have to wake him up to get him ready for bed.

I feel a bit like a hamster on a wheel.

Carer has arrived and Eric is resisting...

Love xx

 

[Vonny]

Oh Gigi, how I wish I could offer something to stop the relentlessness of it.

When Brian was alive (I know he didn't have dementia but there were real similarities between his behaviour and dementia), he would sit watching Gladiator over and over and over and rewinding to his favourite bits and calling for me to watch it with him. I hate that film with a passion now and anything with Stephen Segal in it since they were the only change we got from Gladiator.

My heart goes out to you xx

 

[BeckyJan]

It just came to me - in the war zones lots of priority is given to 'torture'. Why is it that those of us coping with similar crises are not given the same recognition? YOU are dealing with a form of torture - constant dripping of the same repition, over and over!!

Gigi - I do hope someone, somewhere, can help you soon!!
Love

 

[gigi]

Eric was up and on the go about 4.15 thismorning..he's been up ever since.
I put the heating and the fire on, saw him settled in his chair and he nodded off so I went back to bed and tried to sleep.

The doubling up of my BP tablets is making me feel a bit "swimmy"..I went for a walk with daughter and doggy thisafternoon and was glad when it was over..it was a real struggle..and I had to keep asking my daughter to slow down...

There has been one episode of urinary incontinence today...sadly it happened while I was in the bathroom and my daughter was trying to help Eric to the loo. He was upset that she had witnessed it,and couldn't understand why it happened.

Eric hasn't slept much today ..apart from early morning in his chair..and an hour or so after breakfast and his shower.

The sitter said he was awake the whole time she was with him..and was questioning her and talking to her about things she couldn't know the answers to. She tried to distract him but he kept on talking.

He seems quite distressed tonight about previous houses..one in particular that is the same as this but we don't live in it any more. He does remember his first wife and has mentioned her name, and that she must have died..but he can't recall how or when or where.

It's very difficult for me to fill in the gaps. So I try to smooth things over and reassure Eric that he is loved and cared for ....which he is.

He is well looked after..he is loved and cared for...and very lively tonight...

I've put Brigadoon on in the hope that it will distract him.

But I really don't think I can sit through it again without putting a brick through the TV screen....

Love xx

 

[TinaT]

Its Ground Hog day every day for you my love. I've heard of mothers putting the tv on as a babysitting device. If it works, use it and camp in another room for a while.

xxTinaT

 

[gigi]

Thanks Tina...We may have Groundhog days but we have very lively nights....

Eric refused to go to bed last night..that's becoming a regular occurrence.
When I checked him about midnight he was fast asleep and unwakeable..so I covered him with a blanket and left him in his chair.
Just after 2 I could hear him rooting around...he thought he'd been to bed and it was time to get up..and wanted tea.
We had tea...he was finally persuaded to get into bed about 3.30.

Just before 6 I heard a crash...Eric on the floor again, very agitated and struggling. The Paramedics arrived within 10 minutes... Checked him over..his BP was unusually high but probably because of his struggle.
And he has a nasty carpet burn on his knee...

Other than that he's ok, thankfully.

And another day begins...

Love xx

 

[Grannie G]

When Dhiren kept falling out of bed gigi, it was considered a safety `at risk` issue. A carpet burn might be the least of your worries. It`s a miracle Eric hasn`t suffered a break.
More evidence for Monday.

 

[gigi]

There is a god....

The senior from the Dementia Team came out to shower Eric thismorning. Eric was asleep in the chair by then..and she could see I was struggling..I suppose the bags under my eyes were a bit of a giveaway...

She insisted that I phone the SW and tell her..so I did eventually...through tears of absolute exhaustion. I also told her about my BP.

Within minutes of making that call she phoned me back to say that Eric can go into respite on Sunday...and stay there until April 1st.

And the taxi will pick him up on Sunday as it normally would for his Day Care. All I have to do is pack for him.

It's taking some time for this to sink in...

Love xx

 

[Lynne]

Dear, exhausted friend ...

I'm weeping (from relief) with you -

 

[Skye]

Excellent news, gigi. Thank goodness someone has taken notice at last.

Love,

 

[susiesue]

Brilliant news Gigi - what a relief

Love

 

[burfordthecat]

Hi Gigi

I am just so relieved that finally, someone has realised the situation and done something about it.

Don't worry about things not sinking in, you need to concentrate on making it through to Sunday morning.

Might be leaping ahead of myself here, but would you consider pushing for Eric not to come back home on 1st April but for it to be a permanent move?

Take care now, me friend

Love Carina x x

 

[Winnie Kjaer]

The senior from the Dementia Team came out to shower Eric this morning. Eric was asleep in the chair by then..and she could see I was struggling..I suppose the bags under my eyes were a bit of a giveaway...

She insisted that I phone the SW and tell her..so I did eventually...through tears of absolute exhaustion. I also told her about my BP.

Excellent support from her, there should be more like her. Hope you enjoy your respite.

 

[BeckyJan]

That is wonderful Gigi! (NO NO it isn't really - but thank God someone has at least understood your struggle).

I know your priority will be sleep and rest but hope you can find some other relaxation time - please try to exclude caring for others during this respite

Love

 

[wispa]

I am so pleased something is finally happening for you. What a struggle it has all been for you.


XXX

 

[TinaT]

Thank goodness! At last. You just couldn't have gone on much longer like that.

xxTinaT

 

[hazytron]

Gigi, in an ideal world, none of this would be happening, but, as things are, I am so pleased that you will have REST before too long.
Please make the most of it by doing whatever takes your fancy, be it sleep, stopping to smell the roses, pampering.
Lots of love
Hazel