The Adventures of Poppet & Other Stories

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
0
South East
Don’t think you are crazy at all ! Life too short , gotta do what makes you as happy as poss . Hope you have a fab Christmas with youngest and baby girl . You have been taking it easy on your days off then ? .
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
The garden is at the back, with woods behind it, so the plan is a low fence to keep the brambles back and Pooch inside @Sarasa :( I want to break it up with some little conifers and lots and lots of bulbs. No system, just lots of colour

I have thought about the other agency, I like that you go to the same person, but that also has disadvantage. I’m not sure the lack of variety is good. It’s great if you get a good connection with them, but would be hard if you only sort of get on.

I guess I’ll just have to take the plunge and get on the phone :rolleyes:
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
It’s been a while ... you have always been in my thoughts, even if I’ve not been on here for a while
So much has been going on. I see more and more cases of dementia, strokes and such high levels of anxiety
I am both fascinated and appalled at the lack of knowledge out there about dementia in general. After all this time, with so much information on how to deal with things, why do I find myself continually “suggesting” people talk to their GP’s about UTI’s, getting a diagnosis or explaining the need to not argue. It’s so hard seeing people so “lost” in all this.
I wish I could do more. I wish I could have more time to sit and talk with them
 

Spamar

Registered User
Oct 5, 2013
7,723
0
Suffolk
Hi Sam, nice to see you! I’ve been going through my own adventures, spent most of last week in hospital, but not with COVID, mercifully, I’m clear on that one. But my, how busy the hospital was! Partly because because 6 bed bays are now 4 bed bays, half the hospital is Red Zone ( Corvid) the rest Green ( non corvid).however there is always those people who wander from one to the other with little idea of what they are doing.
Still, I’m feeling better this morning than I have done for some time!
 

Bikerbeth

Registered User
Feb 11, 2019
2,119
0
Bedford
Glad to see you post again Sam. It sound like work is very busy.
I think back to when Mum was diagnosed and we were able to have quite a few people to come to Mum’s house to talk to us which led us to go to 2 ‘dementia’ cafes. Mum did not think much of them but I found them a fantastic source of information along with this forum. I know my local dementia charity is doing a lot on Zoom but I guess all theses informal sources of information have gone in the last year. I just wondering if people are finding it harder to find the information.
I hope though that you are still taking time to keep yourself and Pooch well and that your brother has continued to improve.
@Spamar glad to hear that you are feeling better.
 

Sarasa

Volunteer Host
Apr 13, 2018
7,195
0
Nottinghamshire
Good to hear from you @samluvit. Hope the bulbs are coming up nicely and you are having some time to yourself in between your work.
@Spamar, glad you are feeling better.
 

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
0
South East
Does anyone keep in touch with JM away from here ? I was concerned at how upset she seemed on her last post , maybe she just needs some time away , which I understand .
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Hi @Sam Luvit was thinking of you yesterday , good to hear from you :) How is the garden going ?
Morning @Woo2

I was wondering if ice cream is still working for you yesterday o_O, it’s what prompted me to post.

If it wouId only stop raining on my day off, the garden wouId get more love. The back fence is in, but C-19 has stopped work on the front, so it’s still not enclosed. I’m getting to the point where I might try doing it myself. However, the bulbs are sprouting, so I am going to have to get out there and start digging, rain or shine.

I have been a bit naughty ... I’ve pinched a few cuttings off overhanging hedges around the park and some seem to have taken. I’m going to transplant those down the side, as the neighbours trees, while tall and many, are straggly and not evergreen. I’m hopeful I can add some colour for next winter
 

Sam Luvit

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

Good to see you too. Sorry you have not been well, but good you are feeling better now Big brother said his spell in hospital last year was pretty unnerving, with Porters wheeling trolleys around with patients on ventilators, while they were wearing “gas mask” like masks. Our local hospital has been taking in the overflow from the next county and the sudden increase in deaths has been attributed to that. (I think it has more to do with private parties and the massive number of “exempt” non mask wearers .. but what do I know)
 

Woo2

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
3,652
0
South East
I have been doing some gardening , Him indoors asked me to dig over the veg plot whilst it was damp and easier ? It was hard work and I got a blister for my troubles but it’s done and awaiting a delivery of compost for me to dig in . Have planted lots of seeds ready for summer .
Ice cream is a bit hit n miss now ! I still have more than Wall’s though in the freezer .
How is pooch , big bro , kids , grand baby , lovely man ?
 

Sam Luvit

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

Yes, work is manic. I’ve flatly refused to increase my availability. That went so badly last time and took me nearly three months to reverse. This time I’ve said they can phone me on a weekly basis and I “might” agree to extra hours for that week only. So far, it’s working well. I am doing nearly twice my regular hours, but at least I feel as though I can refuse if it’s getting too much

I know many of us are suffering burn out, relationship breakdowns and various levels of depression. The social media posts are sad to read. Previously they have been full of engagement announcements and wedding plans and expectations ... now they are full of hurt at betrayal, pain from lack of understanding by family and anger at “Ex” partners. It’s very sad

Previously I could suggest cafes, clubs, support groups, even pass on agencies that people could contact for guidance. It felt like there wasn’t a lot then ... now there is nothing. I suggest this forum and a few threads that are filled with information (How Bizzar) is top of the list, along with a few heart warming and funny ones.

There probably are some informal groups and charities filling a few gaps, but how do people even know where to look, if they are baffled by changes and don’t see anyone, don’t want to bother the GP’s and just keep muddling along. So many still think it’s just part of getting older and have no idea of the help they might be able to get, even just getting the right meds to reduce anxiety wouId change their lives. Yet, without anyone seeing them, they simply sink into the cracks.

I know it’s not my “job” to be councillor to family members, but who else do they see? So, I talk about my mum and the things I tried, or that my friends tried with their mums and dads. The looks on their faces when I suggest walking out the room and back in again or offering cake is priceless. Even better when they excitedly tell me it works.

If I thought caring for dementia was hard before, it’s truely isolating now, as many seem to think it’s just what life is for everyone now.

In other less depressing soul searching news ....

Pooch is spoilt. He climbs on my lap and is “groomed” for hours every day. He moans with pleasure and rolls over to have his tummy tickled, or nudges my hand when I’m reading or on the laptop. We go for walks, but he’s sad at not seeing lots of people, so I have to make it up to him. I’ve learnt to clip his nails and trim his coat, but I can’t seem to get him as white as the professional groomer did. He has an almost permanent beard .. he does not like his face being washed :eek:?

Big brother was gradually improving, but has taken on a lot more work recently, which along with the looming tax return date, has caused its own stress. He finally went for a check up and his BP was so high they nearly admitted him ? He just doesn’t seem to care any more. That woman, the SIL, is doing nothing to help of course and as I can no longer visit, there isn’t much I can do. I take him shopping once a week, but it’s not the same as spending a few hours by a lake with him .. the opportunity to talk isn’t there now
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
Nice to see you too @Sarasa

Some of the bulbs are sprouting, some of the cuttings are taking root, so when it finally stops raining I will attempt to put them in the ground. At least I have spring to look forward to. I do hope I will be able to share the fruits of my hard work with friends and family and not just Pooch!
 

Sam Luvit

Registered User
Oct 19, 2016
6,083
0
East Sussex
That’s not right @Woo2 ... I thought the point of having a strong man around was for him to do the hard digging while you concentrated on the easier task of directing him ? ? ?

I saw Baby Girl around Christmas (single person household), unfortunately it’s been so long that she didn’t recognise me. Add in, she has only seen her family for the last year and I was a scary addition. She came close a few times, but no hugs. It was all a bit sad. All the others hugged & youngest hugged me at every opportunity

Lovely man is still going, but definitely getting weaker. I still make him laugh and he still says he’s pleased to see me. Bless his heart, he tells me I look tired and I’m to go home and get some rest :rolleyes:
 

love.dad.but..

Registered User
Jan 16, 2014
4,962
0
Kent
Even though some don't post often or even at all as life post dementia plods on in these tricky times, we all remain in each other's thoughts especially those still dealing with the challenges or those trying to pick up where they left off before dementia intervened, good to hear from you and all your news.
 

Sam Luvit

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

I still have the lamps I picked up when we met, so I think of that day often

I’ve tried a few times to start posting again after mum passed, the first attempt didn’t go so well

However, I do feel the need to know how people are getting on, so I’ve been popping in and out, but I know what you mean by life plodding on and trying to find my place in the new world I’ve had to enter