@n82821 “Think about it for a MINUTE”? I think about it all the time!
Maybe it’sa disease and maybe it isn’t. No one can even guess because my friend is completely oblivious of any of the behaviourisms. Or so it seems.
As far as giving the diseases a nickname, I have no desire to live with “Al”.
I’m glad this trick works to make your life easier.
I’m not allowed to treat him like he’s “old”, or like he’s a patient. But I can’t treat him as the friend I thought he was because he isn’t that person, whether he’s ill or I was just deluded.
Long and boring story.
Bottom line is, although we’re still friends, I’m continually compromising, dressing up more patience, walking off frustration, missing certain aspects of life while my friend blithely continues about his meet way.
I looked after my dad, my kids, my stepdad who is still alive, I deal with my untreated bipolar mother who is now developing age-related memory problems (or is it dementia symptoms? We’ll never know because “there’s nothing wrong” with her.) Got a bipolar brother with physical health restrictions who medicates with cannabis. All these people are 3500 miles away.
Yes, I’m irritated.
I watched a short documentary about a care home in Denmark, unique in its format. Yes, the patients are receiving fabulous care. But! There were often two or three caregivers helping one patient. How the staff is paid I can’t imagine.
Some days it just comes to the front of my mind that I have too many responsibilities gradually becoming more and more.
There’s ONE person I don’t want to be a caregiver for, but I feel guilty even about that.