Nice easy day...

Except that my car died on the way to a 7pm meeting. Well not entirely but it was chocking so much I turned around an came back home. To the mechanic in the morning.
But Mom and I got on well all day. We did the story of where home is and why she lives her now about 30 or 40 times. The picture book came out at least 5 or 6 times. But she was very accepting of the idea she needed to be here each time the story unfolded. Some days she argues and says we are lying to her. But today she was relatively calm. We worked together on several projects including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, making the bed, sorting clothes, laundry and mopping and dusting. Giving her jobs seems to calm her down. Especially peeling carrots or cucumbers or folding towels. It was a cold morning after a rainy night. Her hip was hurting and she didn't want to go anywhere so that made it easy for her accept this is home. Thank God for a peaceful day.   

Christmas Card

Berry Merry Frame Holiday Card

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Mug for Mom

Blank Project Collage Mug

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One of those days! AArrgggh!

I was looking forward to a nice easy day at home and now I wonder what was I thinking! With Mom and her Alzheimers it is never a nice easy day. It was okay going to church this morning. She handled that okay. Although I think she slept through some of it. Later, she was in an especially chatty and argumentative mood. Over and over again we went through the story of where she lives and why she is living here. Next she went through the things it was okay for me to do and what I needed to do differently; everything from new carpet to getting rid of my favorite comfy chair. She insisted on going upstairs even though it is not good for her hip and then all she did was get critical about everything. She wants it all changed even though she doesn't live up there. I was pulling my hair out all day with the constant barrage of demands and tirades. Then the story about what happens when the people who own the place come home. I own it but she doesn't seem to accept that part. She seems to have a guilt complex that she is always doing something wrong and the police will catch up to her.  Finally at 7:30pm I had enough and escaped to Walgreen’s to get milk and cat food. Home again and I turned off all the lights and went up to my room. Some days I wonder how much more of this I can take.  I will need to get out of the house more often. But that leaves Dad to deal with the  demands. I don’t think the new drugs are doing much to alleviate the situation. Maybe we talk to the doc again.

Sleep Tight

She is finally asleep after a really rough day. It started out alright with just a few awkward incidents. She made Dad's cereal and added sugar twice, taking forever to slice a banana and then went and sat down asking why I hadn't made her cereal too, after she said she didn't want any. By mid morning the temper flares were so bad I called her sister in North Dakota as a distraction she usually likes. It helped a little. We made soup and sandwiches for lunch and that went well. But I got busy and didn't hear her slip away next door. My niece came to find me to say she was at their house hysterical. I went over and she feels like no one wants her or loves her. And once again as everyday she wanted to go home to the illusive home she doesn't know where, but not the real home where she lives. It's almost like a reference to Heaven but she says no it is her real home, she just doesn't know where it is, but they are waiting for her there. She also thinks she is babysitting someone but not sure who or where. I asked her to help me with dinner. And she was good. Then she fell asleep in her chair. Dad's getting her into bed. Another day in lala land. God grant me the serenity...

A Night Away

So I schedule a dinner out and arrange for my sister to watch Mom for a few hours. I make sure Mom has had her meds and is well fed. And I take off to pick up a friend at the airport, attend a meeting and go to dinner with 7 friends.

About half way through I get a text Mom is bad tonight. I can just hear the discussion in my head. "I want to go home" "You are home" "Oh, don't give me that routine. Now take me home." Over and over with increased emotion and then the tears come.

We try distractions of all kinds. Help me fold the laundry. Or lets look at this photo album. The television is of no interest to her so hard to use that as a distraction. Often we go through her drawers sorting clothes. After awhile the emotions usually lessen and  she will sit quietly again. I try to get her into bed early if it is too bad.

But now I am across town at dinner and worried. I know my sister can handle the situation and she does. By the time I get home two hours later everything is peaceful again as if nothing ever happened. And in Mom's mind nothing did, because with Alzheimer's she has no memory of anything today.

Cat

She's doing it again this morning. She's at the back door trying to get the cat to go out and keep the stray in the yard out. Everyday she's at it with the same result. My cat, Baby, a little black cat, doesn't like going outside. He is totally an inside cat. But he likes to talk or meow at the stray cats outside the window. So she thinks he wants to go out and play. I guess its something to keep her busy. She has been down there for five minutes opening and closing the door, calling Baby to go out as he hides under the dining room table. The stray keeps trying to come in and she pushed him out with her cane.  You would think she would tire of the process but the Alzheimer's makes everything new like the first time. It's just the rest of us who get tired of hearing it going on and on...