DECEMBER: FEBRUARY : MARCH
I have a page, Sharing and Caring, it contains e-mail addresses of those that wish to network with others that are experiencing the same troubles. If you would like to have your e-mail address included please go back to HOME and provide the information.
January 1, 1997 We had such a good New Years Eve. We stayed home but, my brother, youngest son and his girlfriend, my mom and I played games, watched the count down on t.v. and even had two drinks(mom and I at least) the others had a few more :-) We stayed up until 2am. which was very late for mom. Today was a very laid back day. We all watched football and ate. I wonder what the new year has in store for me? Will mom be around long, will she get much worse, will I be able to continue caring for her, if not, then what?
January 5, 1997 Mom has begun getting confused again. She always thinks that we are back in California or just vising here, wherever here may be for her. It is hard sometimes to keep telling her what is going on, real frustrating. Sometimes I want to tell her to stop faking it. she gets so off the wall that it seems she must be faking. I know she isn't but....
January 9, 1997 Mom got up this morning at 6:00. She had to get ready for me or my son to get her. She was suppose to be going home today. I was able to get her to go back to bed for awhile. She has been very confused lately.
January 14, 1997 This weekend has been so hard. Mom has been really bad, like she was early last year. She hasn't really recognized me at all. She thinks I am just some caregiver named Denise, she doesn't know where she is at all. This gets so depressing. It seems all I do is grieve and mourn. It hurts so when mom yells at me or gets mad at me. I feel like a 'bad girl', when I know that it is just her AD acting up.
January 17, 1997 Mom is still thinking that it's Christmas and that she isn't here but there. I had to go to the hospital the 15th. Very rapid heart rate and high blood pressure. Doctor said to remove the stress from my life, yeah right. I think that I will get someone to come in and help me with mom a few days a week.
January 20, 1997 Mom is still very confused. Insisting that she doesn't live here. She has started roaming around at night again. My brother came down again and is helping me with her.
January 22, 1997 The heat pump stopped working, the water heater went out, the washer broke, mom is wandering alot, I'm not sleeping, ahhhhhhhhhhhh.
January 27, 1997 They finally got the heat fixed and back on, the water heater has been replaced, the washer is still out, mom is still being weird and my brother has left. What a terrible month. Hopefully next month will be better.
January 31, 1997 We finally got the washer fixed, thanks to my friend Lonnie. I was getting tired of washing moms things out by hand. She has been doing better about sleeping. She goes to bed by 10pm and usually sleeps until 8am. Alot better than she has been doing. She is still being confused alot. I don't expect that to change any more. I have decided to start an adult day care in my home. It will provide me with a source of income and provide mom with some companionship other than us. I hope that it wotks out good.