This has not been a good weekend.
For those of you I have not told, I went to visit my parents this weekend. It was not a restful or relaxing time. My father thinks that the manageress of the place where he is staying is very good, the food is good and there are plenty of things for him to read. He has been looked after by her since his wife died when she was 49. (The person who he thinks is the manageress is his wife - my mum).
We went for a walk together. We just went round the block - along one side of the canal, across the bridge, down the other side and back again. He was in better shape than the previous time I saw him. He walked well, and we got round at a good pace. And yet, there was no interest in him. Trying to attract his attention and get him to look at things or to talk. He was walking, and so we walked.
And he talks. We used to be able to talk about all manner of things, and to have long discussions. Now he talks at you. And it is hard to follow his conversation. I am sure he can follow the links but it comes out with bits missing. He knows he has a bad memory, but it really frustrates him. And because you can't tell what he is thinking, it is very hard to help him find the words.
This has been the hardest post to write. Please forgive me, but I am going to go and cry...
For those of you I have not told, I went to visit my parents this weekend. It was not a restful or relaxing time. My father thinks that the manageress of the place where he is staying is very good, the food is good and there are plenty of things for him to read. He has been looked after by her since his wife died when she was 49. (The person who he thinks is the manageress is his wife - my mum).
We went for a walk together. We just went round the block - along one side of the canal, across the bridge, down the other side and back again. He was in better shape than the previous time I saw him. He walked well, and we got round at a good pace. And yet, there was no interest in him. Trying to attract his attention and get him to look at things or to talk. He was walking, and so we walked.
And he talks. We used to be able to talk about all manner of things, and to have long discussions. Now he talks at you. And it is hard to follow his conversation. I am sure he can follow the links but it comes out with bits missing. He knows he has a bad memory, but it really frustrates him. And because you can't tell what he is thinking, it is very hard to help him find the words.
This has been the hardest post to write. Please forgive me, but I am going to go and cry...
3 comments:
A great big hug for you...watching our parents age and their mental capacity diminish is not easy...i am so sorry you had such a rough weekend.
Awwwwwww I am so sorry...this must be such a hard thing to watch...
It is so slow to watch those we love drift away...
Hang in there
A few tears shed for you as well Nik. Hang in there.
Joanne.
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