I just got home from my parents' house. I spent the last ten minutes trying to find my mom's dentures and her black shoes. I found both shoes, but only the upper part of her dentures--tucked in her pillow. Who knows where the lower part is..could be in one of her dresser drawers rolled up in a pair of socks or underwear. I'll look again when I go over there tomorrow.
My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's this past July. I wasn't surprised by the diagnosis, because she displayed many symptoms of this horrible illness. However, it still hurt when the neurologist confirmed my suspicions. He prescribed medication for her, so she takes it everyday. I wish there was a cure for Alzheimer's, because it is horrible to watch my mom's decline.
I try to do as much as I can for them. I cook all of their meals and freeze them in small containers. I straighten up and clean the kitchen every time I go over there. I also do laundry for them. Luckily, my dad remembers to take everything out once it's done. Sometimes I get very depressed after visiting with them. You see my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's in November, so he has trouble getting around.
I think I need to hire someone to help them out at least 2-3 times a week. It's hard because my mom isn't speaking English like she used to..once in awhile she'll throw out a few English phrases. It would be ideal to hire a Greek speaking person. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can find someone like that. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to burst. I work full-time, so I'm having trouble keeping up with everything. I go over there at least five days a week, so it's taking its toll on me. I love my parents and would do anything for them. I just need a little help.
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Hallucinations
My mom keeps thinking that there are all these people over her house. It's just her and my dad, but she sometimes tells me that people are visiting her. I think she's getting confused with what's happening on her Greek TV shows. Lately, she's been a little scared about a young boy coming over her house. She says he's not a nice person, and she doesn't like him. I tell her that these people are not real, but she doesn't seem to understand that. I probably shouldn't even say anything to her, because it doesn't seem to change things.
Another thing I've noticed is that she thinks there are more than one of me, my dad and my brother. A few times that I've been over there, she'll ask me where the other woman went. I'll say, "Mom, I'm the only that come over today." Last summer my dad fell in the backyard, and she told him that she needs to find the "other" Spyros to help them out. She also told him that he might just have to stay there, because she wasn't sure if she could pull him up!
Fortunately for us, she's a very happy and loving person filled with laughter. I guess I should be very thankful for that, because things could be much worse.
Another thing I've noticed is that she thinks there are more than one of me, my dad and my brother. A few times that I've been over there, she'll ask me where the other woman went. I'll say, "Mom, I'm the only that come over today." Last summer my dad fell in the backyard, and she told him that she needs to find the "other" Spyros to help them out. She also told him that he might just have to stay there, because she wasn't sure if she could pull him up!
Fortunately for us, she's a very happy and loving person filled with laughter. I guess I should be very thankful for that, because things could be much worse.
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Memory Issues
It's been over a year since I've written anything on the blog. I just came back from my parents' house, and I smell like I've been dipped in a deep fryer. As soon as a I walked into my parents' home tonight I could tell that they were busy frying something--it turns out it was fried dough. My dad had piled a bunch of sugar on his dough. This was a staple for them while they were growing up in Ikaria. Once in awhile he has a taste for it and tells my mom to make him a batch.
I made some chili mac tonight and took it over to them. They really enjoyed it. I left some in the refrigerator, and the rest I put in the freezer. I have to remind them that there's food in the freezer or else they will forget about it.
Mom mom's memory is getting worse. While I was over there tonight, she said that she was saving the bills for the other Tina. She thinks that there are two us...including my dad and brother. It breaks my heart to see her like this.
I feel embarrassed as well. During my spring break, I took her to my friend's house so we could hang out with her and her mom. While this Greek show was playing on TV, my mom started talking to the TV. I've seen her do this at home, but it upset me to see her doing this in front of my friend. I don't want others seeing her do this. I know this sounds petty. It's hard to keep this as our own little secret. I wish there was some miracle treatment for this illness. I'm slowly losing a little bit of my mom everyday.
I made some chili mac tonight and took it over to them. They really enjoyed it. I left some in the refrigerator, and the rest I put in the freezer. I have to remind them that there's food in the freezer or else they will forget about it.
Mom mom's memory is getting worse. While I was over there tonight, she said that she was saving the bills for the other Tina. She thinks that there are two us...including my dad and brother. It breaks my heart to see her like this.
I feel embarrassed as well. During my spring break, I took her to my friend's house so we could hang out with her and her mom. While this Greek show was playing on TV, my mom started talking to the TV. I've seen her do this at home, but it upset me to see her doing this in front of my friend. I don't want others seeing her do this. I know this sounds petty. It's hard to keep this as our own little secret. I wish there was some miracle treatment for this illness. I'm slowly losing a little bit of my mom everyday.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Basketball, Cheese, and Plastic Bags
I took my mom to my son's basketball game again. As I mentioned before she loves watching him play and gets all excited when he makes a basket. Plus, she gets to get out of the house for a little bit. She never learned how to drive, so she's always relied on my dad. Now that my dad isn't driving as much, I try to get them out once and awhile. I think they also need a little break from one another from time to time. When you're cooped up in the house all day long with one another, you're bound to get on each other's nerves. Today was probably not the best day to hang out with my mom, because I have laryngitis. She has a minor hearing loss, so she couldn't hear half of what I was saying to her. We were quite a pair!
When I took her back to the house she insisted on giving me some cheese. She and my dad bought a huge wheel of cheese from their friend, so they wanted to share some with me. When she brought it out of the refrigerator, I noticed that the outer bag was a rinsed out chicken bag! Luckily the cheese was somewhat wrapped up in plastic. I was beside myself. I told her not to reuse the chicken bags. She called me a hypochondriac..which I'm not.
This isn't the first time that this has happened. I purposely bought them boxes of plastic bags, so they would stop doing this. They haven't. In fact, when I opened up one of the kitchen drawers to look for a ladle, I found a bunch of used plastic bags. They just can't help themselves. They don't like wasting things. So, I proceeded to throw out the chicken bag and placed the cheese into a clean plastic bag. I felt much better.
When I took her back to the house she insisted on giving me some cheese. She and my dad bought a huge wheel of cheese from their friend, so they wanted to share some with me. When she brought it out of the refrigerator, I noticed that the outer bag was a rinsed out chicken bag! Luckily the cheese was somewhat wrapped up in plastic. I was beside myself. I told her not to reuse the chicken bags. She called me a hypochondriac..which I'm not.
This isn't the first time that this has happened. I purposely bought them boxes of plastic bags, so they would stop doing this. They haven't. In fact, when I opened up one of the kitchen drawers to look for a ladle, I found a bunch of used plastic bags. They just can't help themselves. They don't like wasting things. So, I proceeded to throw out the chicken bag and placed the cheese into a clean plastic bag. I felt much better.
Monday, January 9, 2017
Today I had to take my father for his epidural injections to his lower back. He has a compression fracture, probably due to the manual labor he did most of his life. The injections relieve the pain for a few months.
My dad also suffered a minor stroke about three years ago while vacationing in Greece, so he has trouble doing things with his left hand. When he gets into the passenger's seat, he needs help with his seat belt.
When we finished up with his injections, he wanted to go through a drive-thru to pick up some lunch. We stopped by my house, because my 12 year- old was home sick. My dad wanted to see him and give him lunch as well.
As we were finishing up lunch, my dad started talking about his waist size. He proceeds to tell me that he has a 29 inch waist. I told my dad that is the length of his pants, not his waist size. My mom started to laugh, because my dad is probably a size 44-46. Then my dad asks me to get a measuring tape to verify his waist size. Once I measured him, he accepted the fact that he wasn't a size 29...he said that is probably the length of his pants.
My dad also suffered a minor stroke about three years ago while vacationing in Greece, so he has trouble doing things with his left hand. When he gets into the passenger's seat, he needs help with his seat belt.
When we finished up with his injections, he wanted to go through a drive-thru to pick up some lunch. We stopped by my house, because my 12 year- old was home sick. My dad wanted to see him and give him lunch as well.
As we were finishing up lunch, my dad started talking about his waist size. He proceeds to tell me that he has a 29 inch waist. I told my dad that is the length of his pants, not his waist size. My mom started to laugh, because my dad is probably a size 44-46. Then my dad asks me to get a measuring tape to verify his waist size. Once I measured him, he accepted the fact that he wasn't a size 29...he said that is probably the length of his pants.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
My father is 87 and my mom is 85. They live by themselves in a brick ranch home about ten minutes away from me. They've worked very hard their entire lives...my father was a maintenance worker and my mother was a cleaning lady at a local school.
In the last three years, they've started to slow down and it's really bothering me. I am very fortunate that they've been relatively healthy for most of their lives. It's just difficult to accept the fact that now it's my turn to take care of them. I know it's hard for them to have to rely on other people. My mom is a very proud woman and doesn't want me to help her out that much. She wants me to be home with my boys, ages 12 and 15. I have no problem helping them, because they've sacrificed a lot for me.
My father isn't driving that much anymore. He drives as far as the grocery store to pick up things when needed. Tomorrow I'm taking him for pain management injections to his lower back. He has a compression fracture and it's producing a lot of pain and it's keeping him from moving around a lot.
Today, I took my mom to my 12 year-old's basketball game. She was thrilled to get out of the house. She has trouble getting around as well, but she says she needs to keep moving. She has a cane, but she doesn't like using it because she says it makes her look old! I hope I have her attitude when I'm her age. She seemed to enjoy the basketball game. When my son scored a basket she turned around and gave the okay sign to my husband. At the end of the game, she told me that she wanted to come back to watch another game.
In the last three years, they've started to slow down and it's really bothering me. I am very fortunate that they've been relatively healthy for most of their lives. It's just difficult to accept the fact that now it's my turn to take care of them. I know it's hard for them to have to rely on other people. My mom is a very proud woman and doesn't want me to help her out that much. She wants me to be home with my boys, ages 12 and 15. I have no problem helping them, because they've sacrificed a lot for me.
My father isn't driving that much anymore. He drives as far as the grocery store to pick up things when needed. Tomorrow I'm taking him for pain management injections to his lower back. He has a compression fracture and it's producing a lot of pain and it's keeping him from moving around a lot.
Today, I took my mom to my 12 year-old's basketball game. She was thrilled to get out of the house. She has trouble getting around as well, but she says she needs to keep moving. She has a cane, but she doesn't like using it because she says it makes her look old! I hope I have her attitude when I'm her age. She seemed to enjoy the basketball game. When my son scored a basket she turned around and gave the okay sign to my husband. At the end of the game, she told me that she wanted to come back to watch another game.
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