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My first support group

Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: Mar 13 5:17pm | Replies (21)

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@2me
Quiet thinking time, hmmm, that would be now, in the middle of the night, when my insomnia kicks in.😫 Managing everything, while caring for, basically, a toddler, is challenging at best, overwhelming at worst. At 82 I’ve been on this journey with my husband, who is 86, for at least twelve
years (we have been married for 63 years). It has moved slowly, but we are now at the stage where I take care of, pretty much, everything! This includes our rental properties which are located in a different state, a 14 hour journey by car.😵‍💫 This was not in our plan, it happened suddenly after we travelled south to our vacation condo, six months ago. My husband had a severe reaction to the change in environment and I realized he could no longer travel…this is where we need to stay. Soooo, I am now a long distance property manger, until I can divest of them…and that’s a slow process. My current dilemma is arranging for family to stay with him, while I travel north, for three weeks. I need to take care of emptying and repairing our primary home, with the hopes of getting it on the market as soon as possible. I also have a major repair on a rental, due to the extreme winter. Quiet thinking time is what I need, to make a viable plan, to get quotes from contractors, schedule work, and make flight reservations…driving, especially alone, would no longer be safe. It’s a lot of coordinating, which sometimes makes me testy, when hubby interrupts, with “what’s for lunch?” or dinner or where’s my …. Today, I was on the verge of a meltdown. The condo security guard pasted two large warning stickers on my front windshield…because my owner’s decal expired five days ago….Really!!!Two stickers…and, I was parked in a handicap spot, with a proper placard, because of a lifelong walking disability! I couldn’t reach to get both of them off, and I was wasting part of my limited time for errands.😝 The kindness of one of the staff, in the pass office, touched my heart. It made me realize, once again, that I am not alone. Pam, insisted on putting the decal on my windshield…when she saw the remnants of the warning notices, she grabbed her windex bottle and scraper and went
to work.🤗 I’d love to say my day went better after that but, alas, it did not. However, I had this inexplicable feeling of a comforting presence…I call it my guardian angel…that stayed with me for hours.
I am also very grateful that I was forced into the decision to make this our primary home. We are now in a better place for both of us. The condo lifestyle is easier, the warmer weather gets us out and about more, and we have developed friendships, over the fourteen years as part time residents. I don’t know where this journey will take us, but I do know I’m not alone.
Many blessings to you on your journey.

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Replies to "@2me Quiet thinking time, hmmm, that would be now, in the middle of the night, when..."

@jniels Wow. What a lot of hurdles you are facing, in addition to the main one that brought us all here! This Mayo Connect group has been so supportive and wonderful. How terrific you have family that will stay with your husband while you tend to the sale of your primary residence! We, too had a second home where it was warm, but we elected to return to where we’ve lived most of our lives, because of proximity to family. I’m happy with our decision, but it’s been quite the winter. I’m hopeful that Spring will help both of our outlooks, but especially my husband’s, as his balance is not good, so getting out and just being outside should help a lot, once the weather improves. How wonderful you have “Pams” in your life! What a kind gesture from her, and it probably helped you more than she knew. Best wishes in the repairs and sale of your home.