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Depression Dementia Dad

Depression Dementia Dad

Is Dementia Mental Illness? It's a disease of the mind so i'm hoping i still belong here. If not for that - today at the DR he was asked if he gets depression - dad answered "yes I do get depressed" It's hard to read with dad's early vascular dementia.

Around Christmas i moved in with my parents as mum was unable to manage hersef let alone continue as dad's carer. She was end stage cancer and died in hospital palliative care only 19 days after i arrived 😞 I was shocked how sick she became in the 2months since my last three week trip.. My goodness - what a fighter she was. My two younger brothers were dropping in a couple of times a day & helped with transport, bills & shopping - but could not stay in the house.longer than 30min - becoming restless... (probably the MI-Sz / drug related) and they were wearing thin. getting angry.. Mum was so difficult / hurtful during my last stay to help, i was reluctant to come again unless she asked me to. It was hard for her but necessary. The first attempt to drive the 1200km i ran off the road & badly crashed my car - a 'Write Off' Sore bones & shellshot - I had to rest a few days before flew down.

I hit the floor running - household duties, neals & loads of patient reassurance for mum. Even giving her a bell. Wasnt easy looking them both, clearly dad had been neglected for sone time.

I was still in the bad books for reporting him as a medically 'unfit' driver during my last stay. They fought it and gad x2 doctors confer ( why not done before is beyond me).

So here i am, feeling alone with 'toxic family' threatened by my presence, the loss of my mum, a dad in grief, with early vascular dementia, diabetes, heart disease, spinal injury - poor mobility, bad incontinence. Its full on some days. Not just the cleaning up but all the medical appointments. Especially since mum had understandablly got behind on things like optometrist, pidiatrist... even the GP...

Just looking for support as feeling somewhat shattered after only x5 weeks. Big day today.

lapses

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In response to: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

@Former-Member

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Thanks @Former-Member, @outlander, yes, its a survival strategy I guess,

- M. I. N. D. F. U. L. N. E. S. S S. -

.......PRESENT

..............MOMENT

.....................IMMEDIATE

.............................SURROUNDINGS

- M. I. N. D. F. U. L. N. E. S. S S. -

Focus needs to be here, not with dad or the animals or the baby brothers. Or the estranged destructive siblings...

Having said that, they ring me sometimes, when dad had a fall, and when the dogs disappeared. Bro 2 made a point of telling meche accessed dad's wallet from the Aged Care Facility safe and helped dad take out $5 to cover his coffee when on their way to the coffee shop. This made me cranky, and suspicious. This was Bro4's payday and he can't afford to buy dad his coffee out? I don't understand & glad I removed dad's keycard - drug habit, gambling & all. Poor dad.

Dads RN rang me 2noghts ago to tell me he had a fall (as is protocol), but he is unharmed.

Rang dad today, he seems OK, said he's starting to have some strange thoughts... had trouble explaining it... Mr coming when mum got sick and filling in for her... same but not he said... Didn't seem to have a point. I listened hard. asked him if its good or bad thoughts, he said, good... good thoughts... I asked him if he still wants to go back home or does he think he's better off there l? He said "well I'm here now". OK oo, let's explore this... But turns out he does wanna go back to o the house. I was really hoping he'd say he likes it there better, drat!

Well, better lift butt, get back to moving house.

That lot there have been left in safe hands.

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Big hugs @Former-Member

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

The lovely lady whose minding my dogs has history & MI (by definition) BPD / Childhood Trauma, but also, at only 35 she had a stroke 2yr back. How amazing she was to survive because they didn't even do scans for a week, writing her off as a drunk because of her history. Her mothers GP did scans a week after she was in emergency & sent ambulance to pick her up for treatment. And here she is helping me care for our pets. Paid of cause but she loves animals and its boosting her confidence.
Another lady I met recently has Asbergers. I'm starting to wonder if anyone is unbroken.

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

@Former-Member 💖 💖 💖 💖 💖

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Hi @outlander, thanks. Are you doing OK?

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Mm i guess @Former-Member thanks

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Sorry I haven't kept up @outlander is your pop OK?

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Nope, dont apologies @Former-Member theres nothing to apologise for!

Old age is kicking in abit more with him esp with winter and weve had some chilly days so arthritis and other things have worsened/flared and has been rather moody. Other than that seems ok...

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dading

Re: Depression Dementia Dading

OK, been a while. I'm still away, trying to empty house while dad in respite. I underestimated to amount to do & my ability.

Today is dad's Guardianship tribunal, and I missed the plane. Fortunately I have organised teleconference and someone to get him there.

Bro2 has sent denigrating emails about me to the guardianship officer. He's beating the MI drum big time, not factoring in the recovery efforts I've made. It hurtz cause I have worked hard and have cared for dad well.

I'm so tired

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