Chapter 479 - Mind Numbing Activities
Two mornings she spent sorting the bundle of keys hanging on hooks beneath a small shelf on the wall. Initially sorting keys into groups, taking them off small spring circles, wondering about the use of each key, generally mixing the 16 year collection. Several belong to the caravan we sold several years ago. Keys for safes I relocated to a "safer" place. On the second morning she became obsessed with finding a duplicate to our letter box up in the village hall; I have one with my car and house keys. Later that day her carer (a Wednesday when I "respite" for 5 hours) wheeled her to the letter box where a suspect the letter box duplicate key did not fit; I wonder what that key was for; perhaps the battery compartment on the caravan? Some 4-5 hours passed with this activity.
She frequently re-sorts our collection of CD's and DVD's; not into any particular order but frequently returns naked disks to their cases. One day she needed to locate the LSVT "homework" disk bought prior to her beginning that expensive PD exercise training several years ago. On the second morning of that search I dug through my collection of embroidery tutorials and found the disk in question, even finding the written report given at the end of the training justifying why she showed very little improvement (not really the fault of the training, just that she was accepted too late in her PD life to benefit from it). When I showed her the disk, she realised that was not what she had been looking for but rather a DVD set of Ti Chi exercises conducted against a backdrop of trees. Not finding that either, she looked on line, finding what she thought was it and when I said we will buy it she lost interest. I thought probably because the instructor and students were all seen standing which of course she is unable to do.
Rose stems are trimmed once blooms fade in vases and I am asked to plant the sticks in the hope of growing new roses. These sticks are regularly watered but quickly turn brown. I expect this activity to begin again when our few roses bloom again in the autumn.
The cleaning chemicals in the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink are frequently re-sorted. As are the fridge a food pantry.
Some weeks ago I bought some trousers for myself. Being a short arsed bloke the legs always need "taking up". There are at least 3 pairs in the sewing room needing completion. As are several pairs of her slacks which have had the elastic bottoms cut off. The activities spread thread and fluff all over the house. Once such routine chores were 10 minute jobs for her. Quite a few of her clothes have rectangular cut outs where labels and ribands removed.
She has an intolerance for loose threads, often picking at threads in the towelling socks we have on the seating pads on the Sara Steady transported. On morning while seated on the loo I found her pulling threads from the hem on the shower curtain. Of course pulling rather than cutting a thread encourages more thread ends to appear.
Yesterday and today she has been attempting to polish our kitchen table to with Windex and other cleaning concoctions. Shiny while wet but quickly dulls. Perhaps I should attempt to find some furniture polish.
Whenever I discourage her away from pointless activities she becomes quite snappy. I am learning to let her be if I am unable to distract her to other matters. Rather than protest I learn to find where food, cooking utensils, over the counter medications and sundry items have been moved to. It's just that I hate to have to do a mind shift when reaching into a cupboard for an item. Except for prescribed medications, they must not be moved!
Our new phone system extensions with larger buttons are easier to operate (to my mind) but she still has problems disconnecting calls, even on 'speaker phone", unless the handset can be suitably positioned to be completely hands free.
Several days ago on asking for a script for Simbrinza (glaucoma medication) to be filled the chemist told me the stuff was on back order, he checked around town at other chemists but there was no supply available. Her eye specialist is away until the end of November and the rooms he works from are closed until next Monday. I checked with our optometrist (the truly professional person who has identified our vision problems) who said there was a Simbrinza equivalent which contained a beta blocker so she advised returning her to AZOPT. Our GP gave us a script. This morning she began having AZOPT drops again, twice each day both eyes.
She is presently counting her money, loose change I leave on the cupboard after shopping. I tell her when she has $100 we will take the lot to the coin input ATM, she now has $73. She returns to cleaning the table top; I find some furniture spray. The day rolls away.
She frequently re-sorts our collection of CD's and DVD's; not into any particular order but frequently returns naked disks to their cases. One day she needed to locate the LSVT "homework" disk bought prior to her beginning that expensive PD exercise training several years ago. On the second morning of that search I dug through my collection of embroidery tutorials and found the disk in question, even finding the written report given at the end of the training justifying why she showed very little improvement (not really the fault of the training, just that she was accepted too late in her PD life to benefit from it). When I showed her the disk, she realised that was not what she had been looking for but rather a DVD set of Ti Chi exercises conducted against a backdrop of trees. Not finding that either, she looked on line, finding what she thought was it and when I said we will buy it she lost interest. I thought probably because the instructor and students were all seen standing which of course she is unable to do.
Rose stems are trimmed once blooms fade in vases and I am asked to plant the sticks in the hope of growing new roses. These sticks are regularly watered but quickly turn brown. I expect this activity to begin again when our few roses bloom again in the autumn.
The cleaning chemicals in the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink are frequently re-sorted. As are the fridge a food pantry.
Some weeks ago I bought some trousers for myself. Being a short arsed bloke the legs always need "taking up". There are at least 3 pairs in the sewing room needing completion. As are several pairs of her slacks which have had the elastic bottoms cut off. The activities spread thread and fluff all over the house. Once such routine chores were 10 minute jobs for her. Quite a few of her clothes have rectangular cut outs where labels and ribands removed.
She has an intolerance for loose threads, often picking at threads in the towelling socks we have on the seating pads on the Sara Steady transported. On morning while seated on the loo I found her pulling threads from the hem on the shower curtain. Of course pulling rather than cutting a thread encourages more thread ends to appear.
Yesterday and today she has been attempting to polish our kitchen table to with Windex and other cleaning concoctions. Shiny while wet but quickly dulls. Perhaps I should attempt to find some furniture polish.
Whenever I discourage her away from pointless activities she becomes quite snappy. I am learning to let her be if I am unable to distract her to other matters. Rather than protest I learn to find where food, cooking utensils, over the counter medications and sundry items have been moved to. It's just that I hate to have to do a mind shift when reaching into a cupboard for an item. Except for prescribed medications, they must not be moved!
Our new phone system extensions with larger buttons are easier to operate (to my mind) but she still has problems disconnecting calls, even on 'speaker phone", unless the handset can be suitably positioned to be completely hands free.
Several days ago on asking for a script for Simbrinza (glaucoma medication) to be filled the chemist told me the stuff was on back order, he checked around town at other chemists but there was no supply available. Her eye specialist is away until the end of November and the rooms he works from are closed until next Monday. I checked with our optometrist (the truly professional person who has identified our vision problems) who said there was a Simbrinza equivalent which contained a beta blocker so she advised returning her to AZOPT. Our GP gave us a script. This morning she began having AZOPT drops again, twice each day both eyes.
She is presently counting her money, loose change I leave on the cupboard after shopping. I tell her when she has $100 we will take the lot to the coin input ATM, she now has $73. She returns to cleaning the table top; I find some furniture spray. The day rolls away.
posted by Kilpike | 10:55 am
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