The funny side of Dementia

[pagan queen]

After living with my dad for 3 days now I have had the pleasure of witnessing some funny moments and it makes you realise there is a bright side to all situations.

Today he was watching Octopussy, he used to love the James bond films and Roger Moore was his favourite Bond, he turned to me and said "I didn't know Roger Moore played James Bond".
We took him to the local walk in center to get his wound checked. A lovely nurse was talking to him and had a look at the wound site. Dad promptly said "aren't you going to say what a big boy I am?" I was so embarrassed but she just laughed, he then told her a joke, What do you say to a man with no arms and legs? Have you got the time on ya cock? I'm so glad she had a sense of humour. When we collected him from hospital the nurse said he had kept them all laughing by telling jokes, I said bet they were blue ones and she replied, "they weren't clean that's for sure."
This evening I was making dinner and had a colander full of fresh cut chips draining in the sink. Dad came out and rinsed his dirty coffee cup over the top. A bit later he came back out to use his mouth wash (an obsession of his), I managed to grab the chips out of the sink just before he spat mouth wash all over them. I keep taking the mouth wash upstairs and telling him to use it up there but it keeps coming back down.
You have to look on the bright side and at least he still makes me laugh.

[becciwales]

Aww that's nice!! Great jokes too xx

[emma_mcraf]

Bless him, at least it sounds as if he's happier in himself Wendy. Just make sure you don't run yourself ragged. x

[Jess222]

I was looking after a man at work the other night who has vascular dementia and he was so lovely...very hard of hearing...i asked him if he had slept well, unsure what he thought i said as replied with "well...i'd rather have a biscuit meself!!" Was so funny!

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by emma_mcraf

Bless him, at least it sounds as if he's happier in himself Wendy. Just make sure you don't run yourself ragged. x

I'm burning the candle at both ends right now Emma. Kian doesn't sleep until the early hours and dad gets up at silly o'clock in the morning. I think I'll have to drug one of them. Abigail has a day off tomorrow so she is getting up with her grandad so I can have a lay in.

[emma_mcraf]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

I'm burning the candle at both ends right now Emma. Kian doesn't sleep until the early hours and dad gets up at silly o'clock in the morning. I think I'll have to drug one of them. Abigail has a day off tomorrow so she is getting up with her grandad so I can have a lay in.

When my youngest was going through a stage of not tiring until past midnight we considered melatonin. Thankfully he seemed to regulate himself before it was necessary but I believe it works well to help aspergers kids to tire more naturally. Has Kian ever tried it? I was in contact with someone from Cerebra who was very helpful offering advice.

Enjoy your lie in.

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by emma_mcraf

When my youngest was going through a stage of not tiring until past midnight we considered melatonin. Thankfully he seemed to regulate himself before it was necessary but I believe it works well to help aspergers kids to tire more naturally. Has Kian ever tried it? I was in contact with someone from Cerebra who was very helpful offering advice.

Enjoy your lie in.

He has melatonin every night, has done since he was 7 but I can't give it to him until 10pm or he fights it and I have to re-dose him. It takes a good couple of hours for it to work and then he goes to bed and reads. Before he had it I would still be up until 4am with him. He still gets up sometimes as he can't sleep, so I am always on alert and even more-so now dad is here, I'm waiting for him to start wandering looking for the toilet. I think I'll be a basket case before long.
I'll try and enjoy my lie in but dad constantly asks where I am when he can't see me.

[emma_mcraf]

Sounds as if any sleep you do get isn't particularly restful.
Hopefully you can get in a little extra sleep tonight.

[ClareandCo]

You're certainly being kept busy. I hope all your animals are secure - would be awful if your Dad said he'd checked on the birds and thought he'd let them out to have a fly-about, leaving a window or outside door open.

Did your Mum get her diagnosis?

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by ClareandCo

You're certainly being kept busy. I hope all your animals are secure - would be awful if your Dad said he'd checked on the birds and thought he'd let them out to have a fly-about, leaving a window or outside door open.

Did your Mum get her diagnosis?

That is a good point Clare. He doesn't touch the parrots as they would bite him but and he doesn't know how to open the aviary, we have a sash window lock on it but I will be on my guard.

There was nothing wrong with my mum whatsoever she was attention seeking, jealous because dad needed and op and she didn't.