h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's sad GB, but seeing someone like that is more than some people can cope with, and they just disappear. Sad, but a fact of life. I have seen it happen many times, just when some stimulating company might be useful and appreciated.

It is also frustrating when a person, having just said goodbye to visitors, insists to the next visitor that she hasn't seen anyone at all for weeks!

I agree there are things that can be done to make life nicer for a dementia sufferer, and their families, but it takes time, dedication, patience and kindness, and of course money which seems to be sadly lacking where it is most needed, and freely available for frivolous things


Take care GB,

Websailor

thanks Webby

This has been a strange week. Mum appears to have rallied, but then the Drs surgery rang me with her INR result and it's off the scale, way too thin and they've suspended her Warfarin, and ordered another bloodtest on Friday. Erm, her physiotherapy on her poorly wrist is Friday, at Diana hospital, wonder if I can also fit in a blood test? Ring District Nurses, no problem, have it done at the Path Lab while you're at Diana anyway, just come and collect the INR order form...

Good news, Liam (my grandson) got his GCSE results today, he came to Mum's on his bike to share his good news with us, he passed all his exams, and the day got better, Helen also got her retaken Maths and Allan his retaken English.

I must say I am enjoying the butterflies in my garden and taking lots of photos for memory's sake. They are balm to my soul. Last night's sunset was absolutely glorious in sunny Cleethorpes and the was an actual proper "blue moon" according to the original description, it wasn't blue though, it was a striking golden orb.

Why are things always so complicated?

Glad you had some good news to brighten the day and that you are gaining solace from the wildlife. I always find it a real tonic.

Take care, have a good weekend if you can.

Websailor

Another weird week and it's not over yet. I wonder if my life will ever get back to normal. Some things I can't talk about because I don't want them in the public domain. I spent 10 hours with Mum yesterday and she still didn't want me to go home, yet I had to return to attend to my then I watched the Martin Luther King documentary then flopped into bed. Housework? That appears to be taking care of itself

I had taken Mum for a trip round Tescos, which was fun, not. There was only one wheelchair when I went looking for one and it didn't have a basket, so I had to steer with one hand and carry a Tesco basket with t'other. We survived some hairy moments, as did other shoppers! Some who seemed oblivious to the fact that it's difficult to steer one-handed and didn't seem interested in getting out of the way on their own two legs. I would say it wasn't worth the trouble but Mum did enjoy picking a few items herself and choosing her own lunch which turned into tea as we had and chips on the way home, so I may attempt it again next week when I've forgotten yesterday's hard slog.

I really am looking forward to my Sheffield son's birthday bash tomorrow night even though I'll be driving there and back, I feel like I'm being let off the for good behaviour.

"I wonder if my life will ever get back to normal" = YES! (teeth gritting is acceptable for now)

ask my mate about wheelchairs and supermarketsI've been with him and seen "intelligent" isle blockers

I was only thinking of you at 'stupid o'clock' this morning GB! Good to know Mum enjoyed her trip; even if it was fraught for you.

I saw a really novel idea on a wheelchair in T**** last week. The pusher concerned had had the brilliant idea (in my humble opinion) of temporarily attaching one of those push-bike horns to one of the handles. My my, it didn't half make people shift in double quick time. I actually followed the bloke around for a couple of aisles just for the enjoyment factor!

You are amazing GB, but doesn't it show that the Paralympic legacy didn't last long, since people STILL are not considerate to people with disabilities, or their carers.

Enjoy your escape GB, and don't spend the time fretting. As for the things you don't want to discuss that is perfectly understandable. I didn't either because it felt disloyal, even though they wouldn't read it.

Scorp, I would love to have seen that, they should be compulsory - maybe people would shift then. My friend is often tempted to smack them up the ankles but that wouldn't be right ...... would it? !!!



Websailor

No WS! It would not be right - but SO gratifying!!

Enjoy your time GB

Websailor

what a great night that was, hopefully mucho dosh was raised for the NSPCC, well done to Allan and his team who organised it all. It was a lovely surprise to find my 2 younger grandsons there, I got to sit with them during the meal. Smiler Jaxon chattering away and charming the birds off the trees. Harrison looking forward to big school. Three of my kids and my 3 grandsons were there. I dream of nights like that! Apart from the nightmare of having to navigate Sheffield on the way home, we made it back to Cleethorpes in one piece and then narrowly avoided a collision by a driver on Fiveways (5 mins from home). Ian can navigate about as well as I can so a satnav is going to be invested in. I must give thanks to the person who mistook me for my daughter at the party. Made my year, that did.

From memory GB, you look good enough to be mistaken for anybody's Daughter!

Nice compliment, I bet that gave you a lift

SatNav's are wonderful inventions so long as you do not rely on them totally. Even applying common sense can sometimes bring you to the wrong place

Glad you had a good night, with so many of your family there. It sounds from news today that the NSPCC is going to need the funds raised more than ever.

Websailor

Good news, the lady from the Curzon Centre called today to fill in all the paperwork (Mum fell asleep after 5 mins' questioning) and her respite days will commence next Wednesday. This means I can have a day off, as the hours are 10am-4pm, the times I'm usually at Mum's.

I might be able to catch up here, or do some writing, or both!

bloody

respite days take a load off the shouldersso sod the housework and unwind or else

Yeah

it's hairdo day

Wonderful news GB! Whatever you decide to do - enjoy it. It's rather like having a windfall. You get so much pleasure out of just planning what you are going to do with it - in your case it will be time.

didn't know you could speak a foreign language ? or is that urdu

We had a good day today It's my grandma's birthday (Mum's Mum) and as I had to take Mum out to Diana hospital for her orthopaedic appointment, I thought we'd carry on to Keelby and visit the cemetery, where both her parents are. On the way back we stopped off at a tearoom in Laceby and had a slice of cheesecake each along with a pot of extremely welcome tea. The tearoom is owned by a friend of mine (I used to go to school with her Dad) so I knew what was on offer thanks to Facebook. Mum chose the Banoffee cheesecake and I had the Terry's Chocolate Orange (except it wasn't Terry's, it was MINE!)

Absolutely what Prof says. Put yourself first for a whole day.



Websailor