spandit

Had the first mention of going home again today. Tonight he said he didn't need any help getting himself ready for bed. Aside from taking his slippers off, taking his trousers off, making sure he took his jumper off before his shirt and then extricating him from the tangle when he tried taking both off at once, then putting his T-shirt on, getting his pyjama bottoms onto his feet, helping him into bed, putting the covers over and connecting his catheter night bag, he did pretty much all of it 😀

In that case I've got some bad news about spotted ****... (in case you hadn't guessed, a nickname for "Richard", such as Turpin, Cheney or Van Dyke)

His dementia isn't actually all that bad for the most part. It's the physical aspects that are the most difficult.

I'll give it a go. It's more for meeting other carers really to get some tips and support. We're fortunate that money isn't much of an issue and we have the space to build him a custom accessible annexe on the side, although the council aren't overly keen.

I know I'm not alone, seems to be an all too common occurrence. Hoping to meet a local dementia group on Thursday if I can get him out of the house...

I'm hoping she's just got an infected bite or scratch which is giving her a lump and that the other bit they saw on the X-ray was innocuous and not bone cancer. Aside from being a bit subdued (still getting over anaesthetic) she has a waggy tail. Father was pretty good tonight. Didn't need as much help as before. Easy to hope it's an upwards trend but I expect he'll regress again soon. It would just be nicer if he was mobile enough so that we could go out in the car locally as if I'm home alone with him, I'm very much housebound.

If I wasn't worried enough about him, had to take dog to vets. £700 bill later and she could be seriously ill but hoping not. She's limping and pooing blood. Never rains... ☹️

Had a carer round today for a look see. He is very doddery today and it took 3 of us to get him downstairs. Glad she saw him at his worst. I suspect that his sister, who is at loggerheads with me, hasn't seen him at his absolute worst. I think he's been presented dressed, clean and comfortable "Sorry, I'm a bit stiff this morning, excuse me if I don't get up". If he falls then I doubt I'd be able to pick him up again...

Last night he found it very amusing that I had to wipe his bottom. He then said he wanted some Savlon on it... ...he doesn't have the dexterity to do it. In for a penny... 😮

We're fortunate inasmuch that my father has savings and I have POA but he is still compos mentis enough to not think he needs much care. I asked him how much he reckoned residential care cost and he guessed at £10 a month. When I told him it was about £1,300 a week he was pretty shocked. I'm just not sure that he needs residential care right now, even though it might make my life a damn sight easier. Firmly through the looking glass now. In the space of only a few days I've gone from helping him get into the car because he's a bit stiff, to wiping up the **** and blood when his catheter blocked and he had explosive diarrhoea without being quick enough to reach the toilet. I'm now almost enjoying getting to empty his catheter bag and monitoring how much blood is in it. Have already fallen out with my aunt and with my sister in Australia, I'm having to make some major decisions with very little backup. Ironically, being into shooting has meant that blood doesn't particularly faze me.

I wanted to attend a local group for families coping with dementia today but couldn't. Because I have spent 6 hours in A&E and the rest of the time driving, cooking and cleaning up my father. Today was one of his bad days. I wasn't prepared to become a carer just yet.

The same man who lost a leadership election to Ed Milliband?

My prediction is that a certain allotment in Islington will be looking superb in the coming months with all the extra time devoted to it

Get the little disposable iron powder handwarmers and shove down the back of your glove. They last for hours

Just leave it in my cabinet for a week and it will be rusted solid