So I’ve got a mouthful of toast as I write this… Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day. I spent the day with a client in Almere, attending a rather positive workshop, I must say.
Grace is in a good space
Afterwards, I drove back and went directly to see Grace. She’s in good spirits. The nurses put her to bed in the afternoon for a nap, typically from around one to four. What I’ve noticed is that she is much more awake and alert in the evening. She’s generally cheerful, although she does have moments when she gets tired and confused. You can see it in her face, and I feel so sorry for her. It’s moments like these that make me realize how much I love her because recording these thoughts evokes such strong emotions in me.
Video Message for Caregivers
Last night, we must have spent a good hour trying to record a 30-minute clip together for those who are closely connected to loved ones with early-age dementia and are also caregivers. It was difficult to keep Grace going, and at the same time, I messed up my words multiple times. We also had nurses coming in and out of the room. So, as a result, we have lots and lots of partially finished clips or clips with bloopers, which, in themselves, are really good memories.
Finally, we managed to get a somewhat imperfect but acceptable clip that I posted on Instagram.
Good to know!
As an aside, last night I was listening to a Mel Robbins podcast. There was a guest on the show who is trained to read people’s body language and react to their behaviors. The lady mentioned that a good way to handle hurtful comments from others is to respond with “good to know.”
Melatonin is wiping me out
I’ve been taking Melatonin. I think it’s helping me sleep, but it also leaves me feeling particularly drained. Let’s see what happens over the next few days. Isabel checked my blood pressure last night, two days after it was initially taken, and it’s positive. It has definitely returned to near-normal levels. My pulse and oxygen levels are fine otherwise. The benefits of going to the care home and having qualified nurses are evident :).
What happens after May 31st?
I can’t deny that I’m really curious to know what will happen on or before the 31st of May. But f@@k it, Confucius is right: we have two lives, and the second one begins when we realize we only have one. And I’m not looking backwards, thinking, “Wow, where did I waste all my life?” Definitely not.
