My mother tries my patience on a good day but I usually manage to stay calm....failing that I go to my car or garage and scream
Today is a scream day. Firstly she doesnt want me to go out this afternoon for something I have had planned for 6 months. I will be out 90 minutes and providing she goes to the toilet before I go and they lays on the bed no harm can come to her.
So 10 minutes after me reminding her we were having lunch at lunchtime she decided to soil herself royally, followed by the words you cant go out if I am like this all day. Now if she hadnt added those words they would have come to me all on my own but BECAUSE she added them I started to wonder.
Then she said she felt sick and didnt want any lunch - but when I came in very quietly (OK yes I was spying) there she is stuffing her face with biscuits and cake which I leave by her side. She has been awake just over 4 hours and I have been in to speak to her chat wash clean her soiling clean the room 14 times which I think is pushing your luck really.
So what has she just done? Asked for coffee so I made her a latte just as she likes it and she now wants sugar in it - has NEVER taken sugar in anything. Then there was too much coffee in the cup - its dispensed mum it is always that amount.....well its too much Ive always thought so
I could see her fidgeting so I said lets get you across to the commode mum. I dont need to go there ...well I think you do... wasnt gonna happen. I came back in 5 minutes later and despite her reluctance I got her up and here we go again she wet and soiled herself in front of me. You wont be able to go out this afternoon you'll have to ring and cancel.
As I count 1 to 10 and find it needs to be 100000000000 I count to now.
Hmmmm OK lets try my theory. I went out of the room and 'made' a phone call. I know she could hear what I was saying because I was stood right by the door and I spoke louder than usual. When I finished my call, I waited a while then went back in. And what did she say. I feel much better now you could have gone after all
I havent told her yet but I havent cancelled I spoke to the phone not to anyone the other end so at 5pm I AM GOING OUT SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM
Whats your screaming point?
My major scream moment of the week was yesterday afternoon. My brother is in town. She is as sweet as pie around him and his wife. Yesterday Mom and I had to go to the doctor. She chatted and was very nice the whole time. On the way home, she talked and talked while I navigated the school-hour traffic, trying to keep us from being on the 5:00 news. Got home and all was fine. After a while she decided to change to her pajamas. I think instead that she found her Ms. Hyde suit in the bedroom. She reemerged as an angry, biting woman. I don't know which is worse -- the chat, chat, chat or the bite, bite, bite. I know she got back in her room and started ruminating about something. She was nasty the rest of the night. All I could think was where was my brother when I needed him. Her sons make Ms. Hyde disappear.
So you see, Jude, not nearly so bad as yours. I don't know what I would do if my mother did what yours did.
Jude, are you getting your (free) respite allowance from your Local Authority? If you've had your Carer's Assessment you should be getting up to five hours a week, I think it is, non-means-tested. Anyway, if you can bring in a carer, the only solution I can think of is not to tell her the plan until it's actually happening, call her bluff, and deal with the fallout when you get back. The thinking is that once she realises her playing up doesn't make any difference she'll cut it out. Hmm, again. But worth a try?
I was deliberately 10 minutes late back today and my daughter went in before me and said sorry nan the traffic was awful. Oh thats alright says me mother I didnt expect you back so soon. My daughter hadnt been out fo the door 5 minutes before she started. Nothing nasty or spiteful but calling me into her room 6 times in an hour to ask me to pick up something she had quite clearly thrown. I did just as she asked never said a word - the neighbours think I have been murdered though I went into the garage and screamed. Bless him the lovely Polish guy from next door came round and said are you all right? When I explaine he just grinned and said you go ahead my dear neighbour awwww.
Mum hasnt soiled again tonight and I think she is regretting this morning because I had to clean her very very throughly and now she is sore.....more than one way to skin a rabbit!!!! xxx hows it going CM? stopped mooching yet? You need to write a list of things you MUST do, and a list of things you ought to do, plus one of your would like to do.Get the must dos out of the way first and then have a moemnt to yourself. Go for a walk and feel the wind in your hair or the rain on your face. Dance naked in the moonlight (but not if you have nosy neighbours) Chin up honey things can only get better from here on in xxxxxxxx
i had my dose of it today too . pour my heart out trying to make a professional grade painter out of my female helper . turn my back for one minute to do some dirtwork and d*mn if she isnt in the new house defying every technique ive ever shown her . when i question her she snaps back " i got it " . no she dont . her work looks like sh*t and ill fire her a**, paint and stone the house by meine d*mm self if that sob ever tries to buck my instructions again .
Do a Mr Miaggi - how do you spell that? - on your trainee and hold her hand until she gets it right. When she sees that doing it properly actually works better she'll soon shape up.
I don't know how you all do it having an elder under your same roof, I wouldn't have the strength or patience... what drives me to scream is Dad [93] saying he will start driving again... he is physically unable to drive but not long ago he said he will have Mom [97] drive... well, Dad, Mom is legally blind so how will that work?... Dad said will tell her when the light is red or when to turn right.... but, Dad, Mom has lost most of her hearing... oh.... [sigh]
Hello
Good morning is that Mrs XXXX
Hello?
Good morning is that Mrs XXXX
Hello?
Mrs XXXX my name is YYYYY and I am calling from ZZZZZ
Hello?
Hello Mrs XXXXX
What do you want?
My name is YYYYY and I am calling from ZZZZZ I just want to ask you a few questions
Hello?
Usually by this time I am falling on the floor in giggles - the phone calls dont last long
Failing that I do something even worse I suppose. Inmy best stoopid is as stoopid does voice I say
Allo?
Then when they have introduced their garbage I say
Ooooooooooooooh I dont think I can get them to come to the phone its very noisy in their bedroom ducky - them havin sexgames an all - Im just the maid.
Phone is hung up on me - Oh yes another win
Truly I tell you, this very day before we are truly awake you have entered my home and denied my offer of hospitality 3 times therefore young gents you are not welcome in my home. This parody of the gospels hit its mark full square and they left - my father closed the door waited till he was sure they had gone and roared with laughter. I asked him how he knew that particular verse....Oh I cant forget that I got the cane for not knowing it off by heart ....TWICE! .
God bless him he is one of the angels we meet from time to time - very very very special
I do, however, want to scream bloody murder whenever a door-to-door salesman comes up on the deck, directly to the door, and never even looks at the "no soliciting" sign, and knocks on the door. I mean, this sign covers it ALL - "No Soliciting. If you don't have an appointment or we don't know you, DO NOT disturb us! -No Charities - No Food or Menus - No House Estimates - No Petitions - No Political Causes - No Religious Appeals - No Salesmen. We don't disturb your work...please don't disturb ours!"
You'd think that would cover it....but nooooo...they come knocking anyway. Today's door-to-door peddler was a special brand of stupid...stood right there while my 90-lb aggressive dog snarled and slobbered and leaped at the door - and he just stood there staring at the dog and waiting for me to come to the door.
I have actually walked out after a local church left a flyer on my door and handed it back to them and told them I don't want them leaving flyers on my door, and referred to the sign on the door. They went down the street to leave more flyers for the neighbors and actually CAME BACK to the door, read the sign and knocked on the door to apologize - which irritated me further. Apology not necessary, and definitely not necessary to come back a second time to knock on the door, disturbing me yet again.
I saw a humorous sign that I love, but it probably wouldn't work:
No Soliciting!
We love our vacuum cleaner
We've found Jesus
We don't need a new roof, driveway or siding
We don't want to buy any meat
We don't vote
...Seriously, if you're not selling Thin Mints....GO AWAY!
Would she ever do OK with a sitter?