Life is about not knowing, having to change,
taking the moment and making the best of it,
without knowing what's going to happen next.
Gilda Radner
taking the moment and making the best of it,
without knowing what's going to happen next.
Gilda Radner
Daddy gets lost sometimes. Not just in the metaphysical sense, but honestly and truly lost, where he doesn't know where he is, how he got there, or where he is going.
The other day he got lost in the kitchen. He had been in the bathroom, and was trying to find his way into the den, where Mom & I were. It is a straight walk from the bathroom, through the kitchen, and into the den. He lost his way, and ended up in a corner of the kitchen, between the stove, sink, and island. I had to call him, and remind him where we were.
He also gets very lost late at night. He wakes from his sleep, and doesn't know where he is, or who is there with him. He often is not even sure that he is in his own house. My sisters and I have all been up with him late at night. I'm not sure that he even knows who we are at those times, but we all call him "Dad", and he responds to the name. He always knows our mother, thankfully, and calls for her. Fortunately, he is very compliant these days, and we can get him back to bed fairly easily. Some nights he's awake and up a great many times, some nights only a few. Some nights he wakes up and gets himself dressed, thinking it's morning.
Nights are so difficult for us. I find that even when I am not sleeping in my parents house, I lay awake thinking about them both, worrying and mourning. We all do.
Alzheimer's has robbed our entire family of sleep and rest. It is always with us, a dark cloud hovering, ready to explode into a storm at any given moment.
The other day he got lost in the kitchen. He had been in the bathroom, and was trying to find his way into the den, where Mom & I were. It is a straight walk from the bathroom, through the kitchen, and into the den. He lost his way, and ended up in a corner of the kitchen, between the stove, sink, and island. I had to call him, and remind him where we were.
He also gets very lost late at night. He wakes from his sleep, and doesn't know where he is, or who is there with him. He often is not even sure that he is in his own house. My sisters and I have all been up with him late at night. I'm not sure that he even knows who we are at those times, but we all call him "Dad", and he responds to the name. He always knows our mother, thankfully, and calls for her. Fortunately, he is very compliant these days, and we can get him back to bed fairly easily. Some nights he's awake and up a great many times, some nights only a few. Some nights he wakes up and gets himself dressed, thinking it's morning.
Nights are so difficult for us. I find that even when I am not sleeping in my parents house, I lay awake thinking about them both, worrying and mourning. We all do.
Alzheimer's has robbed our entire family of sleep and rest. It is always with us, a dark cloud hovering, ready to explode into a storm at any given moment.
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