Mum has slept a lot for the last few days. I brought her present and card into her yesterday and she thought it was for Mother's Day. She is completely unaware of the day or time or day it is.
This morning she asked when Christmas Day was and I told her it was yesterday. She said she didn't know what day it was so she does know that she can't remember very much - not short term anyway. She long term memory seems to be OK.
Mum woke me up again at 4am wanting me to find her slippers. She also wanted tea but I was too exhausted to make any for her and went back to sleep. It is very difficult not being able to get a full night's sleep. Mum has gone off to sleep again. I will try to clean her room today and give her a wash.
Monday, 26 December 2011
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Thursday Morning
Mum hasn't been feeling too well for the past couple of days. Woke up at 3am wanting pills. She still hasn't had her bath. She's asleep again now. She has slept an awful lot recently. We bought an artificial Christmas tree yesterday and will put it up later today - I thought in the hall upstairs so she can see it from her room.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Tuesday Morning
Gave mum her cup of hot chocolate and pills at around 11pm. She called for more hot chocolate after midnight but I was too exhausted to go down and make her any. She woke me again at 4am wanting tablets. I couldn't give her any for another hour and she'd gone back to sleep by then. She didn't wake up until 10.30 when I gave her some tablets and a cup of tea. By the time I got back with the tea she'd gone back to sleep. When she wakes up again she'll ask for more tea telling me that her tea has gone "stone cold".
Monday, 19 December 2011
Monday Evening
Not a bad day at all. Mum ate a little for supper. She didn't have her bath. We'll try again tomorrow. She was complaining a little bit about feeling really unwell. The trouble is she can hardly walk and she doesn't like that. I tell her that at 86 she can expect for things to go wrong sometimes and she can't expect to run about as she did when she was younger. It is sad to see her shuffling and struggling to get from her bedroom to the bathroom. I made sure that she had the bedroom right next to the bathroom so it is almost as good as being ensuite.
One of the problems is that she went to bed almost 30 years ago when there was nothing wrong with her claiming to be desperately ill and wanting everyone to run around after her. She even had a stick which she would bang on the ceiling to get attention. She's spent so much time in bed that her muscles don't work very well because she hasn't used them for so long. She's a huge contrast to my father who used to exercise every day and didn't want anyone to do anything for him. She doesn't find it ironic that he has passed away and she's still here over two years later after years and years of him running around looking after her.
There is a lot I need to add about my father's last few months and how both my parents have been failed by the Social Services/National Health Service etc. This is, of course, quite common with older people. Every so often there is an outcry in a newspaper or on the TV and people pay lip service to it but nobody does anything. They don't seem to realise that everybody is going to get old (unless they pass away sooner of course) and that the vast majority of the population will need help when they get older. Not everyone will be in a position to care for their parents so they end up at the mercy of the services provided by the State - many of which are very poor and an absolute disgrace.
One of the problems is that she went to bed almost 30 years ago when there was nothing wrong with her claiming to be desperately ill and wanting everyone to run around after her. She even had a stick which she would bang on the ceiling to get attention. She's spent so much time in bed that her muscles don't work very well because she hasn't used them for so long. She's a huge contrast to my father who used to exercise every day and didn't want anyone to do anything for him. She doesn't find it ironic that he has passed away and she's still here over two years later after years and years of him running around looking after her.
There is a lot I need to add about my father's last few months and how both my parents have been failed by the Social Services/National Health Service etc. This is, of course, quite common with older people. Every so often there is an outcry in a newspaper or on the TV and people pay lip service to it but nobody does anything. They don't seem to realise that everybody is going to get old (unless they pass away sooner of course) and that the vast majority of the population will need help when they get older. Not everyone will be in a position to care for their parents so they end up at the mercy of the services provided by the State - many of which are very poor and an absolute disgrace.
Monday Afternoon
Mum wanted a cup of hot chocolate at 2am. I gave her some painkillers at the same time. She woke again at 6am wanting more tablets. I couldn't give her any as you have to wait six hours between each dose of medication. She went off to sleep again and woke up at 9.30 when I was able to give her some more tablets. She's in a good mood today and keeps on saying how lovely the Christmas lighted village is. She says she wants a bath today - it will be great if it actually happens.
Sunday, 18 December 2011
Late Sunday Evening
Mum had a good day today. She ate an evening meal of sausages, peas and cabbage, had a desert of a small trifle and an ice cream later on. She seems happy today. She really likes the Christmas lighted village and decided to watch TV this evening which she hasn't done for quite a long time. Not too many complaints about not feeling well either which is good.
Early Sunday Evening
Mum seems a bit brighter today. She has had cake and crisps and some biscuits. She hasn't eaten properly for months. When she was in the home they just left her to it - one of the staff in the kitchen used to try to encourage her to eat but it didn't have much effect and towards the end of her stay there she was losing an awful lot of weight. We have found a really good milk drink called Nurishment which she likes and which is full of vitamins and protein. It's a good substitute for a balanced meal and she has stopped losing weight. She does eat a little sometimes apart from sweet things. She will eat yoghurts and bananas and sometimes fish and chips and some chicken and also sausages but nothing else much.
I put a nice Christmas village light in her room which plays Christmas songs. She really likes it. She started rambling a little bit talking about a small table which was in her home in Ireland which she had noticed in the corner and I should put the Christmas light on it. It isn't there of course. We managed to change the bed which is a bit of a performance. We have to wait until she goes into the bathroom and then whip all the clothes off the bed. I also managed to give her a bit of a wash yesterday which is another performance as she has taken a real dislike to soap and water. I have to run at her with a flannel full of soap and water to get her to have anything resembling a wash. She does go along with it once I've started but it's a struggle. I bought some bed bath cloths from Ebay and tried to wash her in bed with them. She objected they were cold and she could have a wash at the sink.
She's still complaining she's not feeling well and is feeling dizzy - she also knows that she forgets things which upsets her. She is a lot better today though - at the moment anyway.
I put a nice Christmas village light in her room which plays Christmas songs. She really likes it. She started rambling a little bit talking about a small table which was in her home in Ireland which she had noticed in the corner and I should put the Christmas light on it. It isn't there of course. We managed to change the bed which is a bit of a performance. We have to wait until she goes into the bathroom and then whip all the clothes off the bed. I also managed to give her a bit of a wash yesterday which is another performance as she has taken a real dislike to soap and water. I have to run at her with a flannel full of soap and water to get her to have anything resembling a wash. She does go along with it once I've started but it's a struggle. I bought some bed bath cloths from Ebay and tried to wash her in bed with them. She objected they were cold and she could have a wash at the sink.
She's still complaining she's not feeling well and is feeling dizzy - she also knows that she forgets things which upsets her. She is a lot better today though - at the moment anyway.
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