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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 Dad

Hmm, looks like I fell asleep writing the last post sorry, have no memory of that lol

i visited dad today, he’s more ‘stiff’ than I ever seen him, but got him out to his fav cafe for lunch and showed off my car which he likes.

Showed the nurses his pressure care cushion, transferred it with dad ‘in front of them’ - asked them to use it when he’s in the lounge room etc (re new pressure sore), think they finally ‘got’ it 😏. Took dad home to the house (driveway) first - brang the dogs out for a pat, which made dad smile 🙂

I’m adopting some new terms: the female dog Georgia is dad’s ‘THERAPY DOG’.

And I am his

‘HOUSESITTER’

If they Public Guardian think dad’s better off with someone who can pay full rent (550pw) thus turfing me & dogs out - at least I have a roof with the car but will have to get rid of the male dog. Ever seen that movie “lady in a van” ? that could well be me soon lol

So many ppl think I should forget about dad & ‘get on’ with my life. I simply don’t understand this mentality.

havin a lay down atm re back pain bad today grr! Pushing the wheelchair around shops did it I think.

Birds are lovely atm 🦅

In response to: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

@Former-Member

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Haya @outlander, lovely images 🤓 Are you going ok?

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

glad you like them @Former-Member
im going okish, just rather low the past few days but doing my best to just keep on truding no matter how small the steps are. hoping to hear back from a hospital on monday in regards to dental work

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Smart thinking @Former-Member .... re-framing things ..... way to go ❣️

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

‘REFRAMING’ @Faith-and-Hope hmm, is that what it is? I’m somewhat tired of constantly remaking myself but maybe it’s more a case of ‘reframing’ / changing perspective & interpretation than destroying the old.

Are you doin’ ok long time forum friend? 🌸🌿

Haha, very funny @Former-Member

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Yes, doing okay @Former-Member..... 💜

We tweak ourselves and our perspectives ongoing in life ..... it’s a natural thing to do, to rework our circumstances and our response to them to a better fit ..... often far easier said than done.

Hugs ...... old forum friend (Edit: long time forum friend) 🤗💕

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Thinking of you this week @Former-Member re: meeting

In response to: Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Re: Depression Dementia Dad

Hi Darcy 🌸
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