More fun for the caregiver

Saturday, I went to the bank to open an account for Craig's SSI allowance checks. First the woman tells me she cannot open an account without him there. Now it is necessary to explain
to her about hubby. I produce the Rep payee form from SS, and we painstakingly go thru the
long process of opening the account.

While we are ting, she mentions her Mother is caring for her Grandmother and is having a hard time finding help.I give her the web address and tell her about ALZ.org. She says she didn't know there was a website.

One and a half hours to open a checking account.What fun!

Back to the house to empty out the metal closet I promised my sister because my brother is coming to stay with her. After 4 hours of moving things around, it is finally ready.

Brother arrives, and soon Sis calls to ask if i have any Dawn. Yes, Why? Brothers cats have fleas, momma and 6 4 week old kittens.

Five adults and several hours later, we have bathed and dried them all after trips to my place for a box and a blanket.

Up Sunday, off to my co-worker's place for some plants she is going to give me. Stop for gas, $10
should last me a while. Follow directions, and end up in the middle of God's country, cell phone has no signal. Where the hell am I? Turn around and head back to town.Still no answer from co-worker. I think maybe I didn't go far enough.

Up the mountains again, only this time I see a sign for a town I KNOW is nowhere near where I am going. Finally get text from co-worker. Seems the "hump" she wrote down meant right then left......

Finally get there and get plants chat awhile, have to go, time to see hubby.

Stop at local market, by dinner from hot foods counter and a qt of chocolate milk.

Arrive at NH, hubby walking in hall as usual. "Hi, Craig!" Hi! " You keep telling me you miss my cooking, so I brought dinner and chocolate milk" Chocolate milk?

He follows the chocolate milk down the hall, telling me "Peg isn't here". I tell him I am Peg, and he asks when he is going to get his 3 hours with his kids.

I'm not sure if he thinks he is divorced (has happened a lot) or if he thinks he is in jail.

Off to the room.I pull the tray over, and after 3 tries , get Craig to sit down by pouring him chocolate milk. I set up the food and cut it up. Craig picks up the fork, and after a few tries puts it down in favor of the spoon. 3 bites, more choc milk. No more until you eat some food.
Tries to pick up meat with spoon, but pushes it around and goes to carrots and potatoes.

More choc milk? I am back in the days when I had to do this with my sons.......

Actually, that's the most I've seen him eat in a while, and he obliterated the chocolate milk.

Now that the choc milk is gone, he's off down the hall. The nurse asks him why he is leaving me behind. "I want her to go away!" My heart breaks again......

Monday I get a call from the Social worker. Craig has refused to allow his eye exam for glasses.
And she cannot find a Psychiatrist that will take his medical card.

We will have to send him to an out of town hospital with an AD unit to get his meds straightened out. I tell her whatever it takes to get him back to what little he was able to do on his own again.

I tell her that there is a new wave coming, of younger people with this disease, and that they need to prepare. New ways of caregiving for people still in their prime, still vital, with the challenges of EOAD.

Maybe if I tell enough people, they will listen, and the next family will not have to go thru the
same obstacle course we are facing.

Hell, I'd like to yell it from the roof top! Your time will come!
I tell her that