Trying to get back to "Normal"

Below is part 2 of our biggest walk from St Non's to Whitesands beach.  It was a glorious day although the weather became cooler and slightly hazy later on in the afternoon.  The walk was around 10 miles so it was a tough old day but we were rewarded with stunning views round every corner.

The colours were amazing.

This is where we should have stopped for lunch. We were starving but, not having intended to be doing a 10 miler, all we'd brought with us was water and an apple each!!

The RNLI station at St Justinians where we went for our boat trip the next day.

Our first glimpse of Whitesands beach - dogs not allowed!  Which didn't matter as we were all too knackered for playing on the beach by the time we got there!

At last - coffee and cake at the beachside cafe to revive us for the last couple of miles back to town.

The cathedral of St Davids.

Well, I'm back at work now although I'm working from home at my parents.  My father is away for a day so I'm over looking after my mother.  I'm discovering newfound respect (if more respect is possible) for my father and what he has to take on every single day.


Mum is lovely but her memory has deteriorated to about 30 seconds.  She repeats herself constantly and asks you the same questions over and over.  She is convinced that she lives in Grimsby and must go and visit her mum (who died 40 years ago).  She constantly frets about where Dad is.  She doesn't really know who I am although she's very friendly and familiar with me so she must think I'm someone close.


When she asks me who my mother is and then, when i say, "you're my mum, Mum" denies it.....well, you can imagine!  To be honest though, it's not as upsetting as I thought it would be.  Perhaps we're that sort of practical, non-emotional family?  I thought I'd be in bits the first time my mum didn't know me but I'm not.  It's just the way it is and we can still have a laugh (of sorts). 


I think the only saving grace of Alzheimers is that it creeps up on you gradually.  You're not catapulted from normal mum to mum who has no idea who you are or where she is.  It's incremental and you have time to adjust to each new horribleness.


Poor, poor dad though.  I 'm going to be coming over a lot more now that she has got this bad - he will need more breaks and more help.


The other difficulty with this is that I'm struggling to stay away from the fodder today.  I'm just about holding out but biscuits and sweets are within reach.  And I can't even go out for a run as I daren't leave her for too long.  She nearly set the kitchen alight a couple of days ago when Dad was in the next room so you have to watch her like a hawk!!