Sorry we've been AWOL

Apologies we've been so very tardy about posting recently, the truth is I've been really struggling with my own mental health for the past couple of months

Something happened which made me realise that all was not well in my world and that I couldn't ignore it anymore when I hadn't been in to check on my parents for three days

They weren't totally abandoned as mum has carers that come in first thing each day to help her get washed and dressed, but I just couldn't face another day trying to cope with these two strangers who look like my parents and live in their house, but aren't the people they once were

Nothing prepared me for becoming my parents caregiver, it was forced upon me because I'm the only one near enough to do it. My life has been turned upside down and my own health struggles make things really difficult as I never get the time to just stop and rest up for a few days

 I'm absolutely exhausted with the constant worry

Freaky Friday

Who remembers the film Freaky Friday with Jodie Foster from way back in the dark ages of the 1970's

How I loved that film when a mother and daughter switched places for the day, yesterday felt very much like my very own Freaky Friday as I dropped dad off for his first day at the Adult Day Care Centre  for people with dementia

Photo Description- Head shot of Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel and Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel looking directly at the camera, this was taken back in the summer when the trees were still green and the ground was dry

I've been so worried about how dad would cope with it all, would he make friends, would he get upset and most importantly would he feel abandoned, but I also know a big part of dads anxiety and stress is caused by his recent lack of mobility and therefore interaction with other people on top of adjusting to his Alzheimer's diagnosis

Dad agreed to go on the understanding that I'd pick him up straight away

Hello Monday

Looking forward to a new week

Amazingly the calendar is empty of any appointments this week, but that doesn't mean it'll be a slow week, anything can change at a moment's notice when you're a caregiver to someone with dementia

Photo Description - A profile head shot facing to the right of a much younger Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel amongst the dead bracken out on the common. Boris is wearing the distinctive Help for Heroes collar which has three bands of colour, dark blue, red and light blue to represent the armed services. Photo Credit Fur & Fables

The anti anxiety meds dad's GP prescribed him appear to finally be working, last night was

Some Days are Overwhelming

What a hectic day yesterday and today has turned out to be, Thursday and Friday are normally my days off to catch up with myself and household chores

Late yesterday afternoon I received a phone call from my dad that his leg was sore and he'd shown it to his friend who said he needed to go to hospital

I thought that sounded a bit of an exaggeration because everything is an emergency to dad since his cancer diagnosis, so I asked my son who was at dad's house to send me a photo of dad's leg and sure enough it looked swollen and a bit red, so I  immediately phoned the Doctors for an appointment for him hoping  to get him an appointment for yesterday or at the very least for today as it's another long weekend with the Kings Coronation tomorrow

My Wonderful Dad

Well that's it, dad finally had his last scan done on Friday, the consultants are getting together tomorrow and will work out which treatment plan is best suited to his fight with Esophageal Cancer

Everyday dad seems to be getting frailer and frailer before my eyes, my big strong dad who's always been my rock is fast disappearing into the shell of a person I hardly recognise because of Dementia 

We're still waiting on the exact diognosis of what type of dementia he has since his brain scan which was done about 6 weeks ago

His wit and sense of humour is still there though, usually at the most inappropriate moments which always cracks me up and we laugh together

Good Riddence 2022

Good Riddence 2022 it has not been nice knowing you!

I'm sure some good things must have happened but I honestly can't remember them over the 💩 you've dealt us as a family

2023 is also going to have a tough start, especially for my dad as he starts his fight against Esophageal Cancer

My mum is living in her own world these days due to the Vascular Dementia caused by her stroke in 2021 which is tough on everybody, what little empathy she ever had for others which wasn't much, has now completely disappeared

My uncle was finally laid to rest in Cyprus after we weren't informed of his death until several months after the fact

Christmas Round-Up of 2022

Wishing all our followers both new and old a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Photo Description:- Eko the Golden Cocker Spaniel and Boris the Black Cocker Spaniel sitting side by side in front of a frosty Azalea bush. Both are wearing red Santa Hats worn at a jaunty angle as they look at the camera

It's been a tough year here at Crazy Towers, first discovering that both my parents now have dementia and all the changes involved in

A Day Off - NOT

Saturday morning - and so it starts when the dreaded house phone wakes me from my slumpers before it's even 0800

One day is all I ask, just one day to myself!

A typical type of phone call I recieve several times a day on most days from my mum, the item she requires varies from time to time, but the conversation always takes the same route

Whenever mum wants something from Tescos I'm expected to jump too it,  drive the 10 miles to my parents house, do their shopping then unpack it all once I get back to their house, then drive the 10 miles home again without so much of a word of thanks

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Mum - Can you go shopping today?

Me - Can it wait until tomorrow?