Sounds like you're having a bit of fun ? @Agzy, I'm constantly amazed that you retain your sense of humour despite it all! Re. moving, could you find a bungalow? At least you would have outside space then. Lot's of good advice from @canary as always - find a place you like and would be happy to stay in when Pauline is no longer with you, you don't want the hassle and cost of moving all the time.
Us two and IT
- Thread starter Agzy
- Start date
Yes I do @canary and plan to take her and the chair along to the promenade at New Brighton as lovely views (if the clouds lift) and nice and flat.
Social housing bungalows are so rare as they have all been bought under the right to buy scheme and the few that come up are almost invariably reserved for those with wheelchair needs and serious mobility issues. Have looked at private let but longest leases are about 6 months and too worrying as rental times come round I fear.
Yes, I used to push mum along the prom too. As you say, its nice and flat and mum used to love to see the waves crashing on the beach, so I would even take her in bad weather! If it was nice though, there was usually an ice cream van and we would sit and watch the sea and visitors while we ate out ice-creams.
Massive queues just to get into New Brighton so went to Birkenhead Park and Pauline says never again as it was Bumpy! Tarmac paths everywhere but occasional tree roots pushing through! To be honest lack of suspension etc is an issue and should have paid more and got one with tyres and brakes so might ask for a swop from online shop I got it from. I did enjoy the park though and lots of people and mainly sensible distancing which was good.
A funny old weekend to say the least and yet not really stressful just funny. Here we are at Tuesday morning and not a sign of the Alzheimer’s at all! Yes, she is very forgetfull but her mood is good and all just seems so normal. It is like living on a cliff edge wondering how long and how the next trauma will start as I know it will. My brother came to help me saw an inch off our side gate which was sticking all the time and spoke to her from driveway. He was made up at how well she looks and acted. If only he knew.
Dont you just hate Hostess mode?
Ill bet she was more grumpy and angry once he had gone too.
Not for a couple of hours actually @canary, but waited for the rain to start plus accompanying thunder and lightning and demanded we both cross the road to buy a tin of condensed milk for use the next day (today now) and when I said no, BOOOM! Real meltdown and I was again public enemy number 1 and cold shoulder for the rest of the night, ah well, got golf for 3 hours today, give her time to miss me maybe.
Oh I recognise that! Saying "no" to my OH is also like a red rag to a bull.
May I pass on a little tip?
Dont actually use the word "no". Start the sentence with "yes" and then put in a condition - eg:
"yes we can go - when it stops raining"
"Yes we can go tomorrow, when we need it"
"Yes we have already got a tin"
Get the idea? Its not easy to do, especially on the hoof, but it really does work for OH.
A good tip but may struggle with it as she is one strong minded (in some ways) lady and not easy to bambozzle but welll worth a try, thank you,
Things can be so funny. Last night during the thunderstorm Pauline, out of the blue, says, “tomorrow I am going to buy some new earrings, where can I get them from.” Following this we had a little chat about what kind and which shops to look at and of she went to bed very happy. This morning the memory has gone and no mention of it at all. Not sure whether to reminder her and then go through stress of social distance shopping or just wait and see. Thunder storm was a damp squib as only lasted 10 minutes but I am thankful for it and that small sane episode.
At least it's only earrings, my partner has now decided he wants a bicycle or a motorbike, or a car!! Every time we see someone on a bike he'll say 'that's what I want'. I'm pleased in a way because at least he's taking an interest in things again, on the Donepezil he wasn't interested in anything, just in his own misery bubble.
The earnings have not been mentioned since but I was dragged off (well I was the chauffeur) to a local shopping centre where in the past Pauline has bought nighties and she wanted two new ones. Of course this meant a visit to the nearby Home Bargains and usual struggles with the 2 metre rule and keeping safe and alert, hence yesterdays poem. When we went into the small shop where the nighties are sold social distancing was very difficult as other people, mainly younger ones, seem to just ignore the advice which makes it harder to keep Pauline doing it. Having said that once we were home she wanted bananas again from Aldi and so, again, I suggested she go on her own, and she did! Took her a while and worry levels (mine) were raised but all went well thankfully. Nighties go back today as at least two sizes too small - lock down diet?
She can still surprise me and catch me out! We have ahead a good weekend and, against the run of recent refusals, announced she wanted to phone her sister and I duly obliged. Owing to my hearing problems I always use the speaker phone and dialled for her on it. The two of them then chatted for a good quarter of an hour. And her sister was so surprise at the call as she knew Pauline had developed an aversion to the phone for some reason. Immediately after that Pauline was on a roll and phoned her brother ( they both live on Isle of Sheppy in Kent) and his wife answered and again a big surprise registered. After another 15 minute chat with her sister in law her brother came on the line and so the chats continued, brilliant.
Its lovely when they get a lucid moment, but its easy for us to then think that they are not as bad as we thought, or even that the diagnosis is wrong! Then wham! we are brought back to reality. I bet Pauline was worn out after that!
Still waiting for that other ‘shoe.’ This afternoon my brother and his wife called and so I got two more chairs out as Pauline never (?) ever sits out in the sun. Lo and behold I needed a fourth as she insisted in joining us and what a lovely afternoon it was and most converastion about family trees and families so Pauline in Her elements talking about her past which I am sure is like yesterday for her. After tea she went out again but this time with brush and small shovel to brush all of back yard and side path followed by a full scrubbing out of the wheelie bin. As if that wasnt enough she then began defrosting the fridge freezer! Did she do well? Yes but with some memorable mistakes including flooding the kitchen but as she was happy I just went with the flow. She should sleep well tonight.
