Santa delivered, so ..?

[Nyboy]

I guess I should have stated my sisters and I only use it if we are taking my dad somewhere.

 

[Smart Red]

I thought you did. I don't use mine if Spouse isn't in the car, either.


Not that I ever get away alone anymore. We are a matched set like George and Gracie.

 

[catjac1975]

I suggested a trip to Madison to visit a museum as a way to keep the guy from working outside in the excessive heat. Spouse liked the idea and wanted to go. The day started rather cool and breezy so I intended to skip the trip, but he happily told son what we had planned -- go figure, this he remembered.

So off the the capital we went. About halfway there he started complaining about the long drive (45 minutes). Then he didn't want to walk from the closest parking space I could find. He wasn't interested in sitting for a rest or looking at the exhibits. He wanted to go home.

It didn't help that I got turned around trying to get out of town, but finally I recognized a street sign and we were on our way home. By this time he wasn't in the best of moods so even though he wanted to stop at a familiar restaurant for lunch, he complained about the place, the waitress, the food. Come on, how does one mess up a grilled cheese sandwich? He insisted the food he received wasn't a grilled cheese. I offered my BLT, but he started on his sandwich, grumbling all the while.

I had suggested a light lunch because Fridays we usually go out for fish fry. We had no sooner gotten home then he came in telling me it was time for supper. It was a mere 1 hour after lunch. I said we would wait until five to go eat. Every 5 minutes he would return telling me it was finally time to leave until he got angry with me and went outside.

NO! Way too hot to be out! I found him swinging away with his weed-wacker on one of my sunny perennial beds. Okay, so the "bed" is barely recognizable as a flower area, but he knew there were flowers when he started and knew the bright orange, yellow, and purple things on the lawn were weed-wacked remnants of my plants.

I brought the big, sweaty lug inside where a cooling shower and change of clothes managed to pass enough time that we could leave for supper. A meal out with the Grands -- Friday sleepover -- was enjoyable for us all. He was in bed by 7:15 telling me it had been a real good day. Precious baby!

Not to mind your business Red, but perhaps there are some meds to assist with the moodiness. My brother took most of the care of our Mom.
His ultimate conclusion was that these patients should be driven around all day on a luxury bus. The continually changing scenes would keep them constantly entertained. A silly joke of course. I remember bringing my Mom to around 3 different places one day. As soon as we got home she sat down and said, "I'm bored." Forgot all we did. It did not make me sad as we did all that we could.

 

[Smart Red]

He does love to go for rides. I am in a quandary trying to find a reason to go out. There are times I've driven SLOWLY through new subdivisions on the pretense of seeing new housing landscaping for an hour or more on the way home. Thankfully the price of gas is down under $2.00 a gallon.

 

[Smart Red]

I figure it will be necessary some time, but for now I am giving him the medication he needs rather than medication I need. There may come a time when he will need medication to control his mood, but right now I prefer Spouse to some zombie who is calm and complacent.

It doesn't matter if he remembers our rides or not. They kill time until the next meal or the next shower or the next bed time. That is enough for me.

 

[catjac1975]

Here is a story I think is funny concerning my Mom. My Dad passed when she was just starting to get bad. The first few weeks were rough because she kept forgetting that he died. The memory loss soon was a salve because her memory put his death far in the past and a far shorter length of dire grief. She would stay with me for a few weeks at a time. I would enter the kitchen and find her hanging up the phone. When my phone bill came she had been calling our family home phone. The area code had changed so she kept calling a stranger in another city. I called and explained what was happening and apologized. When I introduced myself he said, "oh, Mrs. Jackie?" He was very kind and understanding when I told him I would do the best I could to keep her from calling too often. Sometimes you have to laugh so you don't cry.

 

[digitS']

I wonder ..


. if there are special memory exercises, which might both occupy and encourage a better grasp on reality.

Perhaps even employing a computer, so as to engage the participant, reacting to responses.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, doing Sudoku and cross word puzzles are supposed to be good for the brain.

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

I wonder ..


. if there are special memory exercises, which might both occupy and encourage a better grasp on reality.

Perhaps even employing a computer, so as to engage the participant, reacting to responses.

Steve

I am very certain that memories are not gone just locked in. My Mom went to a day care for a while. One day she told them her whole life story, husband, children, grandchildren. But, just one time. Memories were still there.

 

[digitS']

I've lost 11# since April Fool's Day!



That's an additional 3# in 10 days!

Didn't skip a big breakfast of oatmeal and fruit nor crackers and cheese with my morning coffee break. Haven't shaved since Thursday and I even need a haircut!

I feel the weight loss, too. I'm not quite floating above the Earth's surface but shuffling at a good speed ...

Steve!