Time

Poor George.

On Thursday he found that a former work colleague had died. The funeral is on Monday and I am away working for the day. I organised with someone else to take him. We went over this several times.

Friday morning he spoke about the funeral so several times I explained that it was not being held for several days yet. He got out a white shirt and tie to wear when his caregiver came. I explained again. He still put on the white shirt, tie and a hat. I took him down to Brighton for coffee and also explained (I am not sure how many times) that the funeral was not that day.

Saturday he repeated similar things all day despite me going over about when the funeral is. In the afternoon I found him sitting on the bed with a very unhappy look on his face. I asked what the matter was:

"no body took me to the funeral"

He was quite upset so we had to go over it again.

Today (Sunday) he keeps going back to be for half an hour thinking that it is bedtime. I have explained since early this morning about what is happening tomorrow and I have written it all out on a piece of paper which seems to give him a sense of security.

Nights

George has trouble at nights.

Last night he got up in the middle of the night and I found him asleep (on a sofa) in the lounge. Got him back to bed.

This morning (early) he got up and came into the lounge holding himself and going "ooo, ooo". I asked him what was wrong and he said he was busting. I told him to go to the toilet which he did and went back to bed. I then went into the toilet to find the floor again needed cleaning and he had put a pair of pj pants and a pair of underpants in the toilet.

Sunday

This morning George woke early. He does not have a caregiver on the weekends and he has showered and dressed (and shaved and done his teeth). Today he has coped really well - this does not mean to say that it will be that way tomorrow. He also went out to get the Sunday paper before I woke so he didn't actually ask today what day it was.

He is having a good day. It is so strange how the days can change so much.

With this disease it is best to have a regular routine and things to remain the same (as much as possible) and this gives the sense of familiarity and so they know where they are and where things they want are.

Downward spiral

George is now at the stage where every morning I need to scrub the toilet and the floor in there. I leave lights on but he still does not get there in time and so there is urine on the floor and of course there is also all the washing resulting from this.

He is also drinking gin again although thankfully not too much; a glass a day (I think).

Yesterday he went to Brighton on the bus so it is great that he is still able to retain some independence. I am trying to clean out our house and of course George is no help and I find that when I get home to the flat he has pulled clothes out of the wardrobe and drawers so I have to then clean up here too.

I HATE HOUSEWORK AND CLEANING!!!

He has absolutely no idea of time and asks constantly throughout the day what day it is. Although his short term memory is fine in some ways he is not able to retain this information.

Drinking

George wanted to go on the bus on Friday while I was doing a bit more cleaning out in our old house. He bought himself some wine and while I was working up there he drank a bottle.

On Saturday I had to go to Mum so he drank another half bottle and finished it when I went to bed last night.

Result: he has done something to the toilet seat and I will need to fix it - it is no longer on straight and slips down to one side. Poo on the toilet floor again! I am finding I am having to scrub the toilet floor most mornings now; I am not sure what he does but he may drop the paper on the floor and then pick it up to put in the toilet.

Coffee again

I was working on cleaning out our house (a huge job) which I do little bits at a time. Came down home and...

George had put a jar of coffee down the plug hole in the kitchen!!

Explanation:

"I thought it looked funny"

It was a new jar of coffee.

toilet issues

At night George appears to get confused when he gets up to go to the toilet. He has been in my sponge bag, on a dining room chair, in the bath and on the floor in the bathroom. I leave lights on all night to try to eliminate this. I am honestly not sure why. It may be that he does not wake properly but this is the biggest reason why I would not take him away anywhere.

What an odd disease

What an odd disease this is. George has no idea of time at all. His caregiver took him out for coffee and he returned home at around 3 p.m. I was working on the computer while he was watching TV. Next thing a neighbour came in to tell me that George was at the bus stop! I raced down there and brought him home. He was off to the bank (it was about 5 p.m.). I explained to him that it was too late in the day and the bank would be closed, I don't think he could work that out.

George is still able to hold a good conversation and knows everyone and also about what is happening in the world. His short term memory is also good so he is high functioning here although he can no longer write very well at all. He also struggles and is unable to cope with envelopes.

Last night he used a sponge bag (in the bathroom) to go to the toilet in...

I do find it gets very demanding on my time. He also uses a different glass all the time and often has 3 or 4 glasses lined up on the coffee table. I have to search around to find all the glasses and coffee cups. He tends to pull things out and never puts things away but leaves piles of things all over the house.