My mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2010. This is a blog about coming to terms with her absent mind.

Friday 19 August 2011

Heading for back to normal

The day kicked off at around half six and as usual I went downstairs, let the dog out, topped up the bird feeders and put the kettle on. By this time Ma had heard me wibbling about so was awake and ready for a drink. I'd checked on her a couple of times during the night and as far as I could tell she had slept soundly throughout thank goodness. My biggest worry at the moment is if she gets up in the night and then has a fall but I don't hear her. I'm seriously considering getting a baby monitor - she'd have to shout quite loudly for me to hear her over the noise of my CPAP machine without one. Anyway, the first night at home passed without a hitch.

She did an F1 circuit to the loo and back then decided that she wanted to stay in bed for a bit longer. I tell you, she's a demon with that zimmer frame! I suspect the parquet flooring helps. And is possibly also a safety hazard but I had to take up all the rugs because they were a serious trip hazard. Can't win. As I was getting her settled with a cuppa and her medicine she asked for a little sandwich or something so I suggested her favourite porridge and she was delighted with that suggestion. And bugger me if she didn't eat it all! She napped for the rest of the morning then ate scrambled eggs (with a dash of sneaky cream for calories) but not the bread and butter, and two Nice biscuits.

Flowers arrived for her from the Ladies' Club so we spent half an hour chatting whilst I arranged them in a couple of vases. Well I say chatting. Ma talked and I made non committal noises due to the fact that I couldn't make head nor tail of the majority of it. Then Mavis and Vic arrived (cue choirs of angels on high) so I took some chairs into the bedroom for them, along with some tea, and left them to natter. I half dozed on the sofa, listening to Mave and Vic chatting away and blithely ignoring the mad bits. I love them more than I can say.

About five minutes after they left, the lady from the reablement service arrived so more kettle boiling and tea making ensued. She took notes, asked questions and we have agreed on a morning and evening visit to get Ma up, showered etc. and dressed in the morning and then into bed in the evening. The aim is to get her as independent as possible so I hope this will be successful. The first visit is 9:00am tomorrow.

After all that excitement Ma was a bit tired so she had a nap and I pootled in the kitchen with chicken thigh fillets, white wine, onions, rosemary etc. which went into the bottom oven and prepped the spuds for mash. Suddenly I heard the zimmer approaching...

Hello where are you going?

I thought I'd go and see the girls

Which girls?

The ones over by the place

Ok. But there's nowhere for you to sit comfortably in here Ma, how about sitting in the lounge?

Ok shall I turn round then?

Yep good idea. I'll get your dressing gown to put on.

*gowned and sitting comfortably

Ok? Shall I leave the news on for you?

Yes that's fine. And I'll have a (strokes throat) something... umm... a thing... Can I have one?

A glass of wine??

Yes please.

I gave her a very small, watered down glass of wine, which she didn't drink in the end. I think it's a knee-jerk habit type of thing really. Dad and she always had a couple of snifters.

She managed 12 minutes of the news before going back to bed where she ate a reasonable portion of chicken and mash (about as much as a four year old would eat) and two Jaffa cakes. Then injection, meds and lights out.

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Night Mum

Goodnight darling. Make sure you leave the thing on the road. No not the road. Upstairs. Or is it in the fridge?

Ok Mum don't worry about it. Nightbless.

1 comment:

  1. She's obviously glad to be home, judging by appetite. Well done U! And on administering the injections ~ no small feat.

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