4.11.13
I must say today started rocky but has turned out pretty good - and that includes this edition of Demented Thursday.
For the fourth time (second time this week) or was today the fifth time....anyhoo for the unacceptable number of time this was, my washer died. It worked like a charm except it refused to spin - ever - as in no spinning. So my clothes, towels, sheets, etc would be saturated at the end of the wash. I can see an issue one or two times but four or five...no.
Luckily, the local, small town, mom and pop dealer sent a new one to me today at 12:30. I am happy. I feel confident this new one will be just fine.
I'd rather by from local small dealer than a box store any day and now you know why.
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So are you ready for this edition of Fun with Grandma?
Good news: When I called to remind her I would be picking her up within the hour my uncle answered the phone. He said, "She informed me that you were picking her up."
Last week she couldn't remember.
The week before she cancelled her appointment because she didn't remember.
This week she knew!
At 9:40 I went over to pick her up and went in her house. She was in the regular tizzy. She went all out on her makeup and it looked good. She had on an outfit that was quite fashionable for a 80's something woman. I was totally impressed! Especially considering I had on running shorts, an old tshirt and my sneakers.
As we were walking out I asked if she had her keys, "Yep!" she said.
I locked the door. I turn and see her fumbling through her purse. No keys.
One would think I would have a set for her house....one would think. No, I do not. I just don't. That's her kids deal and I don't want a key unless they are not around to take care of her.
Also....she keeps her house locked up like Ft. Knox. I'm not kidding. To get into her actual home you go through three locked doors. They're probably also fireproof and secretly require biomarker readers for the lock to turn. This is part of dementia...paranoia. To be honest, if someone wanted to get in to steal her pile of underware turned dust cloths they would wear themselves out trying to get through the doors.
A call to my aunt saved the day and off we went.
Today my grandmother was happy. She noticed all the blooming pear, dogwood, forsythia (or yellow bells), tulips, late blooming buttercups, etc. Her comments were all in line with "normal" and it made for a good change for our weekly drive.
I dropped her off at the door of her beautician's. Then I pulled out the stroller and the baby and I took to our 3.5 mile stroll at a vigorous leisurely pace.
Lunch today was Wendy's. I love Wendy's. It was a good choice made by me. My grandma doesn't remember any restaurants so when I mentioned Wendy's I had to go over their menu and good options with her. She was miffed that I ordered chicken nuggets and a salad - "That's not enough food." She ordered a chicken sandwich and salad - "That's too much food."
The fun demented moment of today came at the expense of our food. My five year old even chimed in on this one.
Wendy's places their burgers in these paper boxes. The burger or chicken sandwich in this case sits in it so it basically looks appeasing to the eye. This box became the centerpiece of my grandmother's passion.
"I'm keeping this box. Unless you want to keep it."
Do not laugh...do not laugh.
"You're what?"
"Keeping this box. Look at it. It is made so well and I could put things in it."
"We don't keep these. Its paper and it has had food in it. We will throw it away."
"No. I will keep it. Look at how well it is made. It can hold treasures."
Who is talking my 80 something year old grandma or my five year old?
"No. We don't keep these things. You have plenty of boxes and baskets we'll go through those if you need a small one."
Then the five year old chimed in....."You can't keep that mom-o that's trash. If you take trash in your house you'll have mice!"
My grandma said, "Well."
Score daughter!!!!! Good job!
When we got back to her house she repeated over and over what a wonderful time she had had. She never does that. One for mom-o zero for dementia.
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The cleaning race is on. I've spent way more time outside than inside this week. Here goes it.
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Be good to each other! #EndAlz
Brownie
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Showing posts with label dementia day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dementia day. Show all posts
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Its Alzheimer's Day (Thursday)
4.4.13 In exactly five months my little girl will be six years old and in elementary school.
Yes, my blog is beginning with a discussion of the weather.
It is cold (barely into the 40s).
It is yucky (sleet this morning and now rain).
The sun is on strike (but did peek out for a millisecond this morning).
Now for the shocker - I'm ok with it.
Now for the reasoning - spring starts up this weekend.
Dare I say that today I feel is winter's final farewell for many months? I dare! Tomorrow we go into the upper fifties. Saturday the sixties. Sunday the upper sixties. Next week the seventies. I have waited and tried to be so positive (remember my "the ground will be great in the spring" comments) and now I believe my hopes and dreams are coming to fruition - warmer weather, happier seasons are here.
In the words of that little annoying nappy red head Annie - Tomorrow!
--------------------------
Adventures in Alzheimer's Land update
Today is Thursday and therefore it is hair day for my grandma. She goes to get it washed and set. This is a total old person thing to do. Some women get those ever popular blue and purple and peach rinses put on when they go get their hair "set" (meaning curled with curlers). Luckily, my grandma isn't into having the punk rocker colored grandma hair.
Anyhoo - we ventured to town. Once again it is all new to her.
One thing you should know about alzheimer's disease is that part of the dementia is thinking that other people know everyone you pass on the road, drive by, ordering in the same fast food line, working as a cashier at the home improvement store, etc etc etc. In this case I am the other person and therefore I should know every tenant of every home we pass by. This morning was littered by this question times about 60 - "Who lives there" ------ "Do you know who owns that house?" ------- "Who does that place belong to?"
At first I was a constant and cheery - "Hmmm not sure," "I haven't a clue," "I really don't know,"
Then the cheerfulness started backing away - "I don't know."
Then the deafness pulled in. "Who lives there?" - - - - - - - - silence
Then the what-the-hell-just-go-with-it came in "Mick Mouserat lives there." "Oh yeah that's where Pamela Anderson lives." "That house I think Hillary Rodham lives there. No, you don't know her."
The other enjoyable trait of dementia is how she takes note of everything about a person. She then turns to me and in a not so quiet voice says, "Look at that woman's hair that looks horrible!" or the other favorite from today - "Did you see his green pants. He just doesn't care what he looks like." (Or it was just part of his uniform - but uniform schmuniform when your brain is on deterioration mode).
I get nervous when she starts to ask sales associates questions. Today she wanted to ask the salesman about vacuum cleaner bags. Nevermind that she has no clue what model her vacuum is and cannot locate it in the pull down visual. The poor guy tried really hard to help her. I eased in and said "Why don't we just write down the model and come back next week." To which she said I had the info in my pocketbook. I could have taken this as my grandma is a magician and had magically placed it in my purse the only problem....no purse in my possession on today's trip.
Dementia also slows down the body in the locomotor way. I let her push the kids in the cart. I think she was passed by about seventeen Galapagos Tortoises. The kids probably would have fell asleep if the oldest one would have stopped talking for ten seconds.
She doesn't realize she is going so slow. The best I can explain it to you would be by saying - have you ever felt like you were in a dream, everything was foggy and slow? Maybe you had been up ten hours too long. Yep.....that's her life now.
Personal hell? Yep. Aging sucks but aging with mental incapacities sucks worse.
What more could I share with you....hmmm perhaps her choice of a whopper for lunch and then refusing to eat because I didn't order my seven month old anything. I must have missed the baby section of the menu. I tried to explain that seven month olds do not eat that type of food. She finally started to act like she understood. Notice I said act.
#EndAlz
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Do you like rennovating your home? I am in the process as you know. Just the baby stages of doing a lot of research, math, more research and a bit more math. I'm deciding that if I do enough research and math I can nip this in the bud for a good Queen of the Tightwads but quality way.
One non tightwad decision I have made - well I uses that non very lightly - is the decision that someone else needs to paint my hallway. There is no way I can accomplish that mountain without it looking like a few second graders were given a 55 gallon drum of Mountain Dew and then paint rollers.
I have an idea as to who I would like to have do the work. However, I am entertaining any one who is local to me that would like to share a good painter/crew's infomration for me to contact.
I also am happy to report I may have decided on my hall color! But I am keeping that mum for a while. The decision is subject to change!
----------------------
Last night I made a delicious and pretty nutritious dish! I cannot tell you how moist and tender my pork was and the cranberries made an excellent addition to the stuffing. This is totally economical and low cal (280 cals per serving). If you are Kosher then don't read it - no need to tease you with some little piggies.
Pork Medallions with Cranberry Stuffing
---------------------
Have a healthy and happy day -
Brownie
Share this blog! I'd appreciate it!
Yes, my blog is beginning with a discussion of the weather.
It is cold (barely into the 40s).
It is yucky (sleet this morning and now rain).
The sun is on strike (but did peek out for a millisecond this morning).
Now for the shocker - I'm ok with it.
Now for the reasoning - spring starts up this weekend.
Dare I say that today I feel is winter's final farewell for many months? I dare! Tomorrow we go into the upper fifties. Saturday the sixties. Sunday the upper sixties. Next week the seventies. I have waited and tried to be so positive (remember my "the ground will be great in the spring" comments) and now I believe my hopes and dreams are coming to fruition - warmer weather, happier seasons are here.
In the words of that little annoying nappy red head Annie - Tomorrow!
--------------------------
Adventures in Alzheimer's Land update
Today is Thursday and therefore it is hair day for my grandma. She goes to get it washed and set. This is a total old person thing to do. Some women get those ever popular blue and purple and peach rinses put on when they go get their hair "set" (meaning curled with curlers). Luckily, my grandma isn't into having the punk rocker colored grandma hair.
Anyhoo - we ventured to town. Once again it is all new to her.
One thing you should know about alzheimer's disease is that part of the dementia is thinking that other people know everyone you pass on the road, drive by, ordering in the same fast food line, working as a cashier at the home improvement store, etc etc etc. In this case I am the other person and therefore I should know every tenant of every home we pass by. This morning was littered by this question times about 60 - "Who lives there" ------ "Do you know who owns that house?" ------- "Who does that place belong to?"
At first I was a constant and cheery - "Hmmm not sure," "I haven't a clue," "I really don't know,"
Then the cheerfulness started backing away - "I don't know."
Then the deafness pulled in. "Who lives there?" - - - - - - - - silence
Then the what-the-hell-just-go-with-it came in "Mick Mouserat lives there." "Oh yeah that's where Pamela Anderson lives." "That house I think Hillary Rodham lives there. No, you don't know her."
The other enjoyable trait of dementia is how she takes note of everything about a person. She then turns to me and in a not so quiet voice says, "Look at that woman's hair that looks horrible!" or the other favorite from today - "Did you see his green pants. He just doesn't care what he looks like." (Or it was just part of his uniform - but uniform schmuniform when your brain is on deterioration mode).
I get nervous when she starts to ask sales associates questions. Today she wanted to ask the salesman about vacuum cleaner bags. Nevermind that she has no clue what model her vacuum is and cannot locate it in the pull down visual. The poor guy tried really hard to help her. I eased in and said "Why don't we just write down the model and come back next week." To which she said I had the info in my pocketbook. I could have taken this as my grandma is a magician and had magically placed it in my purse the only problem....no purse in my possession on today's trip.
Dementia also slows down the body in the locomotor way. I let her push the kids in the cart. I think she was passed by about seventeen Galapagos Tortoises. The kids probably would have fell asleep if the oldest one would have stopped talking for ten seconds.
She doesn't realize she is going so slow. The best I can explain it to you would be by saying - have you ever felt like you were in a dream, everything was foggy and slow? Maybe you had been up ten hours too long. Yep.....that's her life now.
Personal hell? Yep. Aging sucks but aging with mental incapacities sucks worse.
What more could I share with you....hmmm perhaps her choice of a whopper for lunch and then refusing to eat because I didn't order my seven month old anything. I must have missed the baby section of the menu. I tried to explain that seven month olds do not eat that type of food. She finally started to act like she understood. Notice I said act.
#EndAlz
----------------------
Do you like rennovating your home? I am in the process as you know. Just the baby stages of doing a lot of research, math, more research and a bit more math. I'm deciding that if I do enough research and math I can nip this in the bud for a good Queen of the Tightwads but quality way.
One non tightwad decision I have made - well I uses that non very lightly - is the decision that someone else needs to paint my hallway. There is no way I can accomplish that mountain without it looking like a few second graders were given a 55 gallon drum of Mountain Dew and then paint rollers.
I have an idea as to who I would like to have do the work. However, I am entertaining any one who is local to me that would like to share a good painter/crew's infomration for me to contact.
I also am happy to report I may have decided on my hall color! But I am keeping that mum for a while. The decision is subject to change!
----------------------
Last night I made a delicious and pretty nutritious dish! I cannot tell you how moist and tender my pork was and the cranberries made an excellent addition to the stuffing. This is totally economical and low cal (280 cals per serving). If you are Kosher then don't read it - no need to tease you with some little piggies.
Pork Medallions with Cranberry Stuffing
---------------------
Have a healthy and happy day -
Brownie
Share this blog! I'd appreciate it!
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