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My cousin checked on my father(has dementia we think) during my week off. He told me he would do that so I can get a break. I can't tell you how much that helped. Since my father didn't know about it he naturally figured it was due to that horrible argument he picked last week.
Anyhow, I called my dad Monday and went over today. He was noticeably relieved to see me. My cousin lives in another state, so getting over there is impossible. But now I'm back, took him shopping, did some errands for him. He had memory glitches and seems aware they are happening. He got lost taking the cart to the corral. Could not find my car even though the cart corral is only a few feet from my car. I read a dementia book during my break, so I knew how to react to his distress and how to better handle my own stress.
This is a horrible illness. It strips you, really strips you. It leaves those younger wondering about their own future. Last week I tried to kill myself by eating a whole cake. Saw what I was doing and told myself to step away from the cake. I did it too. Went downstairs and exercised instead. Kicked the devils butt outa my house.
Here's my vision statement: I will never have this disease. There is a cure that will come in the next few years.
Anyhow, my father is difficult, dangerous, tiring, etc, etc, but the devils gonna have to wrestle him from my cold dead hands. I'm here to stay. Whatever the cost. And I've got the strength God gave me to do what has to be done, because no way I'm leaving my father alone to wrestle through this with his brain literally dissolving. It doesn't matter what he did and said in the past. I'm here to stay and I'm one stubborn woman. I might get kicked down, get the wind knocked outta me(figuratively speaking), but I'm gonna rise up like one of those creatures that never dies in one of those horror movies.
Anyhow, I called my dad Monday and went over today. He was noticeably relieved to see me. My cousin lives in another state, so getting over there is impossible. But now I'm back, took him shopping, did some errands for him. He had memory glitches and seems aware they are happening. He got lost taking the cart to the corral. Could not find my car even though the cart corral is only a few feet from my car. I read a dementia book during my break, so I knew how to react to his distress and how to better handle my own stress.
This is a horrible illness. It strips you, really strips you. It leaves those younger wondering about their own future. Last week I tried to kill myself by eating a whole cake. Saw what I was doing and told myself to step away from the cake. I did it too. Went downstairs and exercised instead. Kicked the devils butt outa my house.
Here's my vision statement: I will never have this disease. There is a cure that will come in the next few years.
Anyhow, my father is difficult, dangerous, tiring, etc, etc, but the devils gonna have to wrestle him from my cold dead hands. I'm here to stay. Whatever the cost. And I've got the strength God gave me to do what has to be done, because no way I'm leaving my father alone to wrestle through this with his brain literally dissolving. It doesn't matter what he did and said in the past. I'm here to stay and I'm one stubborn woman. I might get kicked down, get the wind knocked outta me(figuratively speaking), but I'm gonna rise up like one of those creatures that never dies in one of those horror movies.
Replies
Your a great lady.... It is very important that you take care of yourself... Here in WA we have places that you can take people to for a respite... People with dementia live in another world... You can not bring them into your world you have to enter theirs... It is very scary for them when they still have some memories and can see what is going on.... And they very often attack those that are closest to them.... Take care of yourself... Dementia is a very big disease... It does not mean you will get it because he has it.... You are already yards ahead of him in taking care of yourself.... Just a quick hint, incase this comes up.. Mirrors can be bad to have in their homes because they believe that there is somebody in their house... They are not able to remember that the reflection is theirselves.
You take care of yourself................. You are important....
You have inner strength to cope with your father. I don\'t know if I could do it or not. We all have a different path to walk in our own lives. They are own personal crosses to bear. Your dad is yours. All the best and great strength thru our Lord Jesus Christ.
Good for you! Don\'t lose that attitude. It will be getting tougher as most things do before they get better. Hang in there. I know an older lady living in an assisted living facility in California whose roommate has Alzheimer\'s. This lady is getting worse now and it is dementia. So sad. She describes how this lady is now and is nothing like she used to be last year. I can\'t even imagine having someone I care about with this debilitating disease. Make sure you are getting what you need to as far as sleep and such. Coping won\'t be that easy but it is well worth it both to him and you. And, like you said, you will do what needs to be done. Take some pictures. They always bring joy.
Take care of yourself first, so you can take care of your father second. Alzheimer\'s runs in my family and I remember how my father and aunts were. My one aunt would ask about certain people (usually deceased) and my mother would tell her they had died, my aunt would go all to pieces, crying and upset. I told my mother if you won\'t stop going to see her as it gets you upset why don\'t you tell her that the person she is asking about is fine, just not here at the moment as I had read that they relive the death all over again as if it just happened. Finally after many times of telling her do this she finally did it, the aunt was fine, they chit-chatted and when my mother left my aunt was fine and living back in her own little world. No stress on either of them....it\'s not easy, take care..hugs, Sandi