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Veronica, here's how a game of BINGO could go with someone with dementia:

Caller: B-1...that's B as in Ball, One. B-1
Mom: BINGO!
You: Mom, that's only the first number called, you can't possibly have a BINGO.
Mom: (mumbles unintelligbly under her breath and glares at you)
Caller: I-8...that's I as in Ice Cream, Eight. I-8
Mom: Ice cream? I want ice cream. When are they bringing it around? Get me some.
You: Mom, they're not serving ice cream, he called the number I-8, and you have it - mark your card.
Mom: Don't tell me what to do! (more mumbling)
Caller: G-10...that's G as in Good Morning, Ten. G-10
You: MOM! Don't eat the BINGO chips!!
Mom: (blank stare, with brightly-colored chip stuck to her lip) BINGO!
You: (sigh)
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Well, my company has gone home...rather I had to take her home. My brother, who always comes on Sunday, did not yesterday, just texted me and said they were staying in and watching the pregame and such...ok, plan B....time to get moving and drive my cousin home. I have learned that I can be to her home and back in the same amount of time it takes me to run to the pharmacy and back, so no problem there really, just a tiny bit frustrating because I think in reality he just didn't want to have to hear her trying to get him to find her a good deal on a new car all the way home. Her neurologist told her she was ok to drive...and the state trooper who responded did not ticket her for anything in the accident. I have some concerns about her response time but now it seems the responsibility of finding a good deal on a car is on me as no one else is going to help her . It is sad...she has a condition that has not been diagnosed that is ruining her speech and it was almost impossible to understand anything she said this weekend...although she never stopped talking...She also thinks I am hard of hearing apparently as she yelled everything she said to me and Mama. On Saturday I noticed Mama was not eating her Ensures anymore and I could see she was getting agitated with all the chatter hence it was time to go...In all honestly, as sad as it is to say it and I am not meaning to complain, but my cousin is officially more work to take care of than my Mama...so my "visit" turned into more of a double duty caregiver role. I think my company left the sofa maybe six times the entire four days she was here....how can anyone sit that long??? I encouraged to do this or that and she even commented on how worn out I looked...you think????? but still she sat there...it was sad..it was also frustrating. I feel sad for her, but it is also almost infuriating for her to sit there and expect me to bring her coffee, fix her lunch, do her laundry, etc....and that is on top of all she sees me doing for Mama...I don't know if it is an issue of purely being lazy or if she has something mentally going on that has caused this. She used to be a very smart get it done type person, so I am worried about her...but don't know what to do about it....right now I kind of have my hands full....

Was looking so forward to the big game last night...got back from carrying her home, it was drizzly and cold, so I put on my cozy pj's and got Mama all changed and finally she ate her lunch..thankfully...so then I got me a fluffy big quilt fresh from the dryer and snuggled up in front of the fireplace "for a minute or two" and the next thing I knew it was halftime and I missed everything in between..but I sure did nap good....one of the better Super Bowls I have ever seen...(what I finally saw of it)
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i have so many problems im not sure where to begin fixing them . poor diet for a guy my age , dehydration cause i dont care for h20 , and extremely agitated lumbar . so i got myself a glass of ice water and am considering lowering my footstool by a couple of inches . docs dont do anything to fix lumbar problems , ill just have to see what i can do on my own . pain meds are out of the question . one week of those things and youre dependant on them and in constant pain .
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A snippet of last night:

I made snacks to watch the big game. Mom doesn't enjoy the game, but tolerated it so I didn't have to lock myself away in my bedroom to watch it. She even asked questions about various plays and why one thing was a penalty when another similar thing wasn't - which was a new step for her - she hates football. So I was happy that she was at least somewhat enjoying it or paying attention to it.

Gave mom her plate of snacks, including bratwurst, chips and dip, fruit, veggies and nachos. About 20 minutes later, as I was putting the food away, I mentioned that we had bratwurst left over for lunch the next day, and asked if she liked them. She looked at me blankly and said, "I didn't have one!" Me: "Um, yes you did, Mom." Mom: "Oh...well, I guess I liked it then!"

LOL
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Here I thought my Mom was understanding about the fact that I can't drive her and Dad like I use to [panic attacks] but tonight I found out differently. When I told her the hearing aid appointment isn't until the 16th, she wasn't happy about that at all...

My parents don't understand if a doctor has numerous offices that he/she goes to, there are only certain time slots available at each of those offices. I don't have a magic wand to instantly produce an appointment for tomorrow. I understand my Mom frustrations with her hearing aids not working but she needs to do things herself to help herself, like pushing that hearing piece further into her ear.... she can't, it might hurt.... [sigh].
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I've researched this site tonight just to see what it offers for married people and caregiving. I found a few good articles about nurturing one's marriage while caregiving and other such themes. However, from the few number of comments on each of them, I wonder how often they've been read.

While I sadly realize that it is too late for some, I wish more people who are married would read those articles and benefit from them then maybe there would be fewer marriages in the marital graveyard.

So, I'm whining about the marital graveyard. So, love the one your're with!
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If you want to see grown men fighting over a lump of leather go to a social event at senior home in Florida.
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Litldog, thank you for the hint about bingo. That image made me cry with laughter.
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great . veronica and i have something in common . i dont give a pigs ass about a stitched together pigs ass .
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cmagnum I have been married 51 years to a bipolar so totally understand. I will be watching Downton Abbey so hope I stay awake for that. Grown men fighting over a lump of leather do not interest me in the slightest.
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cmagnum: Must be something in the air. I have been more active this week than in months. Feels good to have so much energy with so little sleep. I too have taken my meds, but am feeling ALIVE!! Even took Mother to the Country Club for dinner Friday night. Fixed her hair, dressed her to the "9's" and off we went. She set with a group of her old friends and they were very nice to her. She had the best time and so did I. Need more of these good days. She is letting me handle her meds after the 911 scare last week. I told her if it happened again I would let the EMT's take her to the hospital. It worked....She is so much better when I handle the meds.
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DuPont, any time I come on this forum [for example] which will say at this moment in time "Comments 1 to 10 of 4478", next to that you will see [NEXT] and [LAST]... click on LAST as that will take you to the last posting entered.

This website also offers "email notification" when a new posting comes onto a forum where you had written. I use to use that, but I found if I had missed a couple days I would have over way too many notifications, too many to sort through. But you can try it... go to "Edit Account".
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Thanks Veronica, after basically 48 hours of what I think was an experience of mild mania which sure felt good for I have not felt that good in some time and I had not missed my bipolar meds either, I went to bed last night around 12 and slept until 11:30 this morning and feel very draggy. I'm going to keep an eye on my moods and if they swing up into this kind of high again, I'll contact my psychiatrist who I just saw last Monday. She noticed that I was feeling good. Well, that feeling good changed into feeling very, very good. Sorry that I caused worry, but I was so caught up in the high that I was on that I didn't think about what might be going on. I've eaten some food and have taken my meds, but I may end up back in bed, but hope to be awake for the SuperBowl. The crash after even a mild experience of mania is no fun.
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Well, Dupont, now that you posted a comment, any future click on this discussion will supposedly open to the last page that you have read. If that doesn't work, just click on the bottom tab that says "Last".
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I am curious. What happens when you play bingo with someone with dementia.

cmagnum please don't make us worry about your hyper mood.
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Question how do you read these without having to go through all of them to get to the current ones? I honestly have enjoyed reading them and knowing I'm not alone , but would like to see the most current thread first
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My 'whine' for the past two days (way too tired, tense, body ached, head ached, to post last night)

Whine One: If your Medicaid 'consultant' tells you to get bank checks or make copies of all checks you write to spend down money, do it. Do not forget to make one out to yourself in the whole ordeal. Do NOT, I repeat, Do NOT just transfer the money into even a new account with your name on it. Keep It Simple. While the head of the IRS or Hillary can say, 'What Difference Does It Make!' You can not.

Whine Two: Never play Bingo with people with dementia.

Whine Three: Never assume Power of Attorney is going to go well.

Whine Four: Never play Bingo with people who have dementia.
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@Katie - I'm surprised they didn't charge you interest. :)
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theres been some BS going on for quite some time pertaining to fraudulent billing . somehow collection companies obtain information about closed accounts , then try to bill for something thats already been paid . when they pull that crap i tell them i will only respond to an official billing from said company -- att -- etc . the matter is dropped as soon as it began . of course they dont pull this silliness on politicians or influential people so they only try it on us brain dead idiots . considering this , if you dont contact your representatives they will never have a clue that its going on . i can walk the walk . a few years ago the banks were taking up to ten days to pay a bill online . then the creditor would take their sweet ( criminal ) time about accepting the pmt . it had us all living in the late pmt zone . im sure im not the only one who screamed to my representatives about this fraud but ill bet i was the loudest . congress yanked the bankers onto the floor and demanded instant payment accreditation . bankers said they couldnt do that instant thing . congress said you CAN AND YOU will . now your online payments are a done deal . an email is shot to the creditor the instant the bill is paid . for all those people who didnt speak up -- youre welcome ..
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I will be careful. Sometimes the Super Bowl commercials are more entertaining that the game itself.

This is really strange that I have not slept in over 24 hours and I'm doing fine! I have not felt this good in a long time!
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cmagnum, be careful, don't fall asleep if you are a Super Bowl fan.

I watch the game only for the commercials :)
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Indeed!!!!!

Also, there are few others dynamics in the threads and articles on this form that would come in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, but I will not attempt to name them.

BTW, I have yet to go to bed since yesterday and I'm doing fine, but I will crash sometime.
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My whine is whenever we here on the forums spend a lot of time on an original question, with dozens of answers, looking up information, etc. and the original poster never comes back even once to reply :(
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I'm not whining for myself, but for my wife. My mother thinks that I can do no wrong, and blames other people when I do.
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Katie, bet it is a scam. Check to see if the return address matches the current billing address of the cable company.
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Anybody want a good laugh?? On top of all the stress and all else going on with my Mom with doctors appointments and catheter issues, a cable bill for $3.00 comes for my Dad on an account that has been closed for decades... and my Dad passed away 21 years ago.....I don't know whether to laugh or start yelling! That is the cable company for you.....
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I'm seriously thinking of doing just that, Dee....even if it's only to be able to work uninterrupted for a few hours, though I'd like to use the time to get out of the house. The nature of my work means the only day I could possibly do that is Sunday, and even then, it's unpredictable, so I might have to come back and work for an hour or so.

Mom finally got up and I got her in the shower - it's just the resistance and refusal to do it that's so frustrating. I want so badly to get her on a schedule, but she fights me tooth and nail on that. (Not literally or physically, of course. It's more a battle of wills - mine vs hers.)
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Susan...same here. Uncanny! Though for myself I started paying extra for 3 hours on saturdays. I really need the recharge time to go for a nice long walk. Once it warms up and i can play in the dirt i won't need to because i bring mom outside with me while i garden. Last year it was hard. She wanted to go inside and lay down but didn't want to be alone so I didn't get much done. Looking into an outdoor recliner for her. Gardening is my therapy.
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....and leave it to fate to give me a wake up call. Just discussing another relative's situation and his daughter is his caregiver. He is in so much worse shape than Mom and may not make it much longer. I need to stop whining and be happy Mom is still here. It's just so hard to do that some days.
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Jessie, hang in there....I know what you mean. Some days it's an all-out battle between my mind and my tongue, not to snap at Mom when she resists showering, refuses to get up and walk to keep her legs moving, and insists that I do everything for her. We have to walk a fine line with them. ((hugs))
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