I moved my mother into my husband's and my home in November of 2005. She had fell at home and broke her hip. She was not able to live on own any longer anyway. This gave us an excuse to move her into our home. She was a very independent woman before the accident, but things have changed in the last few months.
Her short term memory is not good at all any more. She can not wheel herself around the house any longer.
She just got out of the hospital back in June about a 2 week stay with a blockage in her colon and then she contracted VRE. That is not fun to have in the home. I felt so sorry for her.
I am starting to have crying sessions it seems like every other day anymore. I do not see my mother any longer I see a person declining quickly. I am feeling overwhelmed and I don't think my family sees it. I have told them I need to get away for a few days, but that never seems to happen. No one has time to watch or be with mom except me. I am the only child so this is all on my shoulders. Her brother is not any help they have not spoke in several years now.
I do not know if I am just going through a stage or if I am starting to get depressed. I am with mom almost 24/7 except when a homemaker comes in daily. A person can go to Walmart just so many times to get out of the house. I seem to have lost my friends because I can not get together with them anymore.
This on-line discussion is a life line for me. This way I can communication with people and see how they handle different things that come up in their caregiving also.
So if anyone has advice please let me know how to get myself under control.
Losing Control
Money is power - we all see this. There seems to be a power play going on with your mother. She is ready and willing to give you money for your family, but then rubs it in or otherwise abuses you. Flip-flopping. I've seen this often. Depression could figure in. Also, dementia starts much earlier than real "symptoms" appear. Researchers aren't really sure when it starts, but actually stage one of Alzheimer's shows little or no symptoms under test conditions.
So, keep your eyes open for changes. Hopefully, your mother will have her depression treated. But, unless this is a huge personality change, it does sound like she's using money as a control mechanism.
Bless you for how hard you are trying. Two jobs, kids and a mother who needs help. A lot of know what it's like to work as hard as possible, take care of a bunch of people, and still not come out financially. Our hearts are with you.
Carol
It does sound like you at least have the condition of the house in your favor in getting him to move to assisted living. My mom's house is in pretty good shape although she hasn't used very good judgment with repairs and improvements she's paid for recently.
Dancetoday
I have an appointment for dad tomorrow at an assisted living facility, 10 min from my house. We are going to take a tour, and make a decision. I did say a few months ago that he wanted out of here, and has been saying it for 7mos now. So now is his chance. He will be losing his house of 40yrs., it's just a broken down old house that he owes more on than it is worth right now. Hanging on to it, in this current economy will be more damaging than helpful, I see no other way out, but a short sale. Have a good night all, you will be in my prayers as well.
Are you nauseated from issues of caring for family members? What is going on with me right now is that my mother is still living on her own but needs a lot from me. I drive her to the store and the bank, sometimes help her deal with bills, etc... But she has other help that she pays, too. I'm a single parent and my mom is not rich but she is doing ok from my father's retirement and their savings. Every once in a while I have some financial crises and she has given me money. I hate to ask her but there are times when I have. So a few days ago I took her to the bank and we had some paperwork to get done. While the banker was filling out a form, my mom went to get some cash. She asked me if I needed any and I said that I didn't, I was doing ok, thanks. Then a couple of days later I realized that I didn't have the money to pay for the summer programs for my son and I needed to reserve a spot and wouldn't get paid for over a week. We were going out to dinner with my mom and so I mentioned that I had that come up. She said ok, come in after dinner and she would give me some money for it. So when I went in the house after dinner (left my son in the car, thank goodness), she asked how much I needed. I started thinking it over out loud. Suddenly she got this look and tone of voice she gets when she is being really critical of me. She started telling me how I have to do SOMETHING about my finances. (I am working two jobs and raising two kids, there just isn't time to do anything more, I am trying really hard.) We have been through this before. I would love to do something about it but it just isn't happening. She got really awful and critical of me and told me she would give me this money but then nothing for my birthday. I said "fine, ok." Then she just went on and on about how I'd spent this money she'd given me at the beginning of the year. She did NOT give me any money at the beginning of the year. She had given some to my sister and told me about it and how she had just given her some this year. I said that she didn't give me any money. She just got madder and madder. So I left without taking the money even though she was yelling at me "Here, take it, take the money." It was awful.
Everyone who knows my mother thinks she is just the sweetest kindest person you could ever meet. They don't see this side of her, the way she treats me sometimes. She tried to call once yesterday (this happened Sunday) and I didn't answer. She isn't capable of talking about this. She will just want to pretend it didn't happen. Which isn't ok for me because it has happened before and I know it probably will again. But I know she isn't going to change, either.
Ok, guess that sort of summarizes it. Thanks for "listening."
Dancetoday
I'm new on here and not sure how these forums work. It is different than others I'm used to where there are multiple threads and you can see the various posts in a list and decide what to read. I felt like I would need to read through 1000+ posts on this topic before commenting. Is everyone keeping up with all of it?
I DO need to vent, but wanting to make sure I understand how these forums work first.
Dancetoday
Bigsister
I won't ignore you if you stop acting so stupid his tee shirt, my reply If you act stupid I will ignore you!
Would you like service with that? thats my saying when someone asks me a stupid question and my favorite
I have a stupid question ME: okay hopefully I'll have a stupid answer.
People do not care about customer service, I recently ordered something from Blair well not too recently over 2 months ago, got a email stating they rec'd my order, well it still ain't here so I contacted them and told them to keep the damn thing haven't had it in two months think I don't need it at all, they replied we have no record of you sending us a email for an order, I contacted them I didn't send it by email dipshit I mailed it to you you emailed me a confirmation keep it I decided you might have nice items but who needs the stupidity, I realize you have to downsize so you can make a Qadzillion dollars this year but to sacrafice customer service will do you in so if anyone else is having trouble with your company not being able to keep up with your orders because there is no one to fill them, someone has to do double duty and is too tired. I hope they cancel their accounts than you won't have so much to keep track of and can stay home and play video games, oh man was I livid. and I will pay this off and never order from them again my new motto if Wal_mart don't have it I don't need it. I hope this made you feel better so people don't follow thru on anything no matter what the subject and I take great pride in calling people back to make sure their problem has been resolved see I am the help desk at a five facility soon to be six facility healthcare system 3 nursing homes, 1 assisted living 2 hospitals and one to be built shortly. I take care of all computer phone issues and anything inbetween if the switchboard operator doesn't know who to send the call to she sends it to me so i take great pride in my work although somedays trying to drill information into some of the hard heads is very frustrating than I go home to mom . Ah isn't that the life??
I remember someone posting that it's like dealing with a child again and to try to deal with it as such. Fine in some extent, but what two-year old do you know grabs a knife to end a temper tantrum? Dealing with a child was MUCH easier--you could get their minds off of things with a little fingerpainting or cartoon viewing-- without them repeatedly screaming about someone who wronged them 102 years ago (OK- well, maybe 50 years ago)
Just had lunch with the little girl I mentor I only have two more weeks of that so than can slow down a bit and not rush around like a crazy person. the next thing will be school again in sept and in oct I will be giving a demonstration on flower arranging for a garden club one town over. that should be a fun thing but don't know what october will bring as don't even know what tomorrow will bring.l I jumped the gun on paying bills and had to call my bank thought a check was deposited yesterday and not until next wed. so will have to juggle this week add that to my many talents LOL.
Stay well my friends, I was very impressed with your posts Jerome, thank you.
sometimes we just need to get out of our own way!
Breakdown, so sorry about your Dad, and your loss. Thank you for your wise words of advice. I will use that ploy concerning reminding Mom (and myself) that when she's nasty to me, that "perhaps she'd prefer a Nursing Home," and that "I don't have to care for her." Thanks for that reminder. It might be a sanity saver, if I can remember the comeback when needed... Sure gonna miss you if you go away. But after Caregiving, I'm assuming there's..........life? I am praying you find some much needed and well-deserved rest. God be with you, Breakdown...
SacrificingDaughter, that "crushing feeling" is way so familiar! I swear Mom's Dementia, that she says she "doesn't have" makes me feel so sick to be around sometimes. It's oppressive and sometimes confusing. Moments she seems fine, and then the bottom drops out of everything. Thanks for speaking what I feel, because it validates I'm not alone, as it feels sometimes.
And Sulynn, God will help you. I can say that because he helps me, but it's easy to forget, and sometimes we feel alone when we forget to go to him. (I do, anyway.) I can relate to what you say "feeling like you're losing it." What an awful emotion to experience. When they say "hurting people hurt people," I think Demented people dement their Caregivers at times. Take care...God is there.
Praying for all of you! It's a bumpy path at times, with jagged turns, and steep inclines. We'll just keep lifting each other up, and praying for health, comfort and strength in the journey. God be with you!
i will keep you in my prayers, one thing that happened when my dad went into his frustrated bouts and yelled at me that helped me, he stated rude comments and said he was going to fire me...LOL - I simply told him he could do that and no I did not have to do everything he wanted me to do when he was going to talk to me in that manner, I could take him to the nursing home if he preferred thier assistance. it didn't stop his frustrated attacks but it defused the immediate attack quickly. I don't know your situation with your mother, but I informed my dad curtly that he had a choice and I didn't have to be taking care of him, I was doing it becaused I loved him. Good luck...
Sorry to hear about your dad. I know in some ways it could be a relief that they are not suffering but, in the end they are still gone. It was like that with my dad but, he went fast and was a surprise. My mom is in a bad way right now I feel guilty sometimes because I get overwelmed and frustrated with the situation. I know she can't help it but, the more I try to help her the more she yells at me and is mean to my kids who are just trying to help her. This is a tough situation to be in but, with gods help I will make it through this.