Sometimes you just have to laugh...

Shhhh...JessieBelle...I delete all call history from my mom's phone every time I see her...

:)

At Thanksgiving dinner at my house, she apologized for not being able to eat everything on her plate "LIKE SOME PEOPLE DID, BUT SHOULDN'T HAVE" while she's looking directly at me.

No matter how deep she gets into dementia, she never forgets that
1. watching her weight is critical
2. makeup on first thing in the morning and lipstick refreshed all day long
3. you should dress like you're headed for tea no matter the circumstances
4. hair perfectly in place
5. you really have to watch your (60 year-old) daughter to make sure she's adhering to the rules too, which she doesn't.

LOL. elizabethgrace, we can call the book "Old Folks Say the Darndest Things."

You have to have the patience of Job. I'm glad we love our parents. It's funny how everything around them "breaks." After reading what you wrote, I think I'll delete my cell phone number from their phone. :)

JessieBelle, unfortunately, I had just taken a sip of my coffee when I read "I can't get it to go on the Inspiration channel." What a nice way to start my day. Laughter.

I keep thinking of these things my mom has said. Maybe we should compile a book. Her phone calls are the best/ Here's another one. To get the idea of my day, you need to re-read this same conversation 12-14 times, because that's about how many times she'll call when she gets stuck on something.

Me: Hi, Mom.
Mom: Honey, I won't keep you, I just need to know the time.
Me: It's 6:20 a.m. But Mom, what about your new watch we just bought you?
Mom: Yes, but it's broken.
Me: Well, what about the clock in your family room?
Mom: It's broken too.
Me: The clock in your bedroom?
Mom: Broken. All of them are broken.
Me: Well, what are the odds of that?
Mom: What are the odds indeed!

Wash, rinse and repeat. All. Day. Long.

Love the laughter. Today my mother got on the telephone while she was watching TV. She dialed, listened and hung up. Then she dialed, listened and hung up again. The third time she did it, she turned to me and said, "This thing's broke."

"What's wrong, Mom," I asked.

"It's just broke. Try it."

I picked up the phone and heard the dial tone. All normal, I said. She said, "Wait," and punched 1-3, then pushed the button and did it again. "See, I can't get it to go on the Inspiration channel."

Was she having a spiritual communication from somewhere?? It took me a moment to figure it out. "Mom, this is the telephone. There's the remote control."

I have to say, my mother-in-law is a really good sport about this whole losing her memory thing. We laugh together about it all the time. When she asks me, what has happened to my memory? I tell her, it went AWOL. Then we laugh again.

OK, that story just cracked me up!! I'm still laughing. I'm really not laughing at them, but the situation. Sometimes when these bizarre situations happen, I think "am I being punked"? Have you ever seen that show (Punk'd) - a reality show that plays practical jokes on unsuspecting people just to televise their reactions?

And I loved that you said, "here it comes - and sure enough...". How many times have I thought that? You just know what's coming. It's not unlike having a preschooler with no filters.

Thank you for the great laugh, Naheaton!!!

I had to take my mother-in-law in to have her front tooth pulled, and to have her partial plate taken out to be fitted for BOTH front teeth now. She was without that partial for a week as a result. After she got the tooth pulled, she not only didn't remember WHY she came to the dentist, but as we were walking out the door, she turns to me and said 'My front teeth are missing. Have you got my front teeth?'
I just about fell on the floor laughing. 5 minutes later, we're in the car driving. Out of the corner of my eye I can see her working her tongue around her mouth. I'm thinking, here it comes... sure enough she turns to me AGAIN and asks me 'What has happened to my front teeth?' It was like that for a few days until it became old enough news for her brain to retain it. By the time she finally DID remember, the new plate was in! ha

I'm glad that made you smile, Jeannegibbs. We call these situations "Groundhog Day" after the movie where the guy relived the same day of his life over and over and over.

A few days earlier she called me every hour to tell me: "Honey, don't be upset, but I think I may be having some problems with my memory."

Honestly, I do better with these situations some times and blow it others, especially if she is angry about something and taking it out on me. But I've learned that when she asks the same question time after time after time and never remembers that she asked, then she doesn't remember the answer (nor my attitude) either. So I can just do better the next time.

I hope that you can keep your sense of humor too!

Thank you for sharing that! I laughed out loud, and I needed a laugh.

Poor dears. I can't imagine how awful it must be to be losing your cognitive skills and to be aware of it. It sounds like your mom may not be too self-aware, and in a way that is a blessing for her.

Keep your sense of humour!