DEMENTIA
ONE
I’m feeling much better now after being so ill recently. My daughter, two granddaughters and I spent last week in Minehead. It was nice to have a holiday and spend a week by the sea. I seem to be forgetting some things lately, it happens when you get older. I managed to walk into the wrong caravan a couple of times while away, I felt very silly when I realised. So I have decided to write in a notebook, reminders for myself. The mice situation has been far worse recently, I see more and more of them in my cottage since my return. My family suggested a cat to resolve the problem. The council was less then helpful when I informed them of my dilemma. Oh yes, they set traps, but when none were caught the man was rather rude, suggesting there were none to catch. As if I could imagine mice in my own house!
TWO
I was to take a trip out with my daughter last night but she must have forgotten. I didn’t mind though, I have reservations about going out sometimes. Especially following the events the other day when I went to the shop and those children ran at me from behind, pushing me over and stealing my keys. I must have hit my head because I blacked out and came to on the floor. Maybe they felt remorse after all since my keys have now appeared back in my cottage. It could easily happen to me again.
THREE
I went to visit my son in falmouth recently. funny house, i wouldn’t like to live there. The bedrooms were never in the same place, it made it very difficult for me to find mine. I’m sure i was there for much longer than usual as well, even if my son didn’t seem to think so. The rest of the family came to see me soon after i returned home, it was nice to see them even if it was a bit awkward with my best friend, a famous tennis star, sleeping in the spare room upstairs and her baby sleeping on the sofa at the time. One of my grand daughters almost sat on her mistaking her for a cushion wrapped in a shawl; i don’t understand how anyone could mistake a baby for a cushion.
FOUR
I have been staying in a very nice hotel, the children knew I was worried about my memory problems and brought me to see a memory doctor. He suggested I stay there for a few days. I met a very nice man while I was there. He is a pilot and fights the Nazis just like my brother John. He told me that the next day he was going to fly me to Australia to visit my sister. I was really looking forward to seeing her but before we could start our adventure I had to return home.
FIVE
Back home at last, but there are a lot of people living here. I have to keep checking all of the rooms to make sure my belongings are safe and secure. There is one lady who keeps trying to cut the flowers in my garden. I had to tell her very strongly “I will not tolerate it, they are my flowers!” She would not listen so I had to hit her. The nice lady visited me today. Apparently she has been before, her face is vaguely familiar, I I’m sure I don’t know her. It is nice of her to visit me. Perhaps she will come again.
SIX
The previous chapters, i feel dramatically illustrate the devastating effect that the onset of dementia can have upon an individual and their family, both of which suffer mental torture. It provides an insight to events that took place in the last three years of my grandmothers life as she may have perceived them. The home she spoke of returning to was actually a nursing home in which she was cared for prior to spending the last three months of her life in hospital. She was eventually left unable to move or eat and died of dehydration following removal of her drip by nurses on the ward fifteen days earlier.
CHRISTINE MITCHELL VISUAL PROBLEM SOLVING (4VCOO9)