This isn't a question, but it is a situation that started out aggravating me and ended up making me laugh.
My mom, who is now pretty far into dementia, checks her cell phone continuously to see if she has missed any calls. She can't tell the "missed calls" from the list of calls that she has made, so once you get on either list, she is going to call you all day long and not remember any of them.
She starts out with: Did you call me?
Me: No, Mom, you just called me.
Mom: Oh. OK. Bye.
Then she calls every 15 minutes ALL DAY LONG and asks the same question.
The last time she called, she started out: Did you call me?
Me: No, Mom, you called me.
Mom: No, I see that I have missed 12 calls from you.
Me: No, Mom, you've called me 12 times.
Mom: (long pause) Well, do you know what I wanted?
Poor dears. I can't imagine how awful it must be to be losing your cognitive skills and to be aware of it. It sounds like your mom may not be too self-aware, and in a way that is a blessing for her.
Keep your sense of humour!
A few days earlier she called me every hour to tell me: "Honey, don't be upset, but I think I may be having some problems with my memory."
Honestly, I do better with these situations some times and blow it others, especially if she is angry about something and taking it out on me. But I've learned that when she asks the same question time after time after time and never remembers that she asked, then she doesn't remember the answer (nor my attitude) either. So I can just do better the next time.
I hope that you can keep your sense of humor too!
I just about fell on the floor laughing. 5 minutes later, we're in the car driving. Out of the corner of my eye I can see her working her tongue around her mouth. I'm thinking, here it comes... sure enough she turns to me AGAIN and asks me 'What has happened to my front teeth?' It was like that for a few days until it became old enough news for her brain to retain it. By the time she finally DID remember, the new plate was in! ha
And I loved that you said, "here it comes - and sure enough...". How many times have I thought that? You just know what's coming. It's not unlike having a preschooler with no filters.
Thank you for the great laugh, Naheaton!!!
"What's wrong, Mom," I asked.
"It's just broke. Try it."
I picked up the phone and heard the dial tone. All normal, I said. She said, "Wait," and punched 1-3, then pushed the button and did it again. "See, I can't get it to go on the Inspiration channel."
Was she having a spiritual communication from somewhere?? It took me a moment to figure it out. "Mom, this is the telephone. There's the remote control."
I keep thinking of these things my mom has said. Maybe we should compile a book. Her phone calls are the best/ Here's another one. To get the idea of my day, you need to re-read this same conversation 12-14 times, because that's about how many times she'll call when she gets stuck on something.
Me: Hi, Mom.
Mom: Honey, I won't keep you, I just need to know the time.
Me: It's 6:20 a.m. But Mom, what about your new watch we just bought you?
Mom: Yes, but it's broken.
Me: Well, what about the clock in your family room?
Mom: It's broken too.
Me: The clock in your bedroom?
Mom: Broken. All of them are broken.
Me: Well, what are the odds of that?
Mom: What are the odds indeed!
Wash, rinse and repeat. All. Day. Long.
You have to have the patience of Job. I'm glad we love our parents. It's funny how everything around them "breaks." After reading what you wrote, I think I'll delete my cell phone number from their phone. :)
:)
At Thanksgiving dinner at my house, she apologized for not being able to eat everything on her plate "LIKE SOME PEOPLE DID, BUT SHOULDN'T HAVE" while she's looking directly at me.
No matter how deep she gets into dementia, she never forgets that
1. watching her weight is critical
2. makeup on first thing in the morning and lipstick refreshed all day long
3. you should dress like you're headed for tea no matter the circumstances
4. hair perfectly in place
5. you really have to watch your (60 year-old) daughter to make sure she's adhering to the rules too, which she doesn't.