Alice in
Memoryland has been suffering from laryngitis.
She writes not just of the verbal silences she is suffering, but also of
the mental silences her husband suffers. He has Alzheimer’s, and he is still
living at home. Lately they have been
arguing over x=x or x=y.
George and I had one of those rather heated x=y discussions yesterday
morning ourselves.
“What happened to the two bags of laundry,” I asked. “Where are the whites?”
“I took the green bag down,” he said.
“The blue bag had the whites in it,” I replied.
“I put the whites in the dryer,” he said a little heatedly. Then added, “You brought the blue bag up.”
I didn’t remember bringing the blue bag up.
I didn’t even remember starting the whites.
I have moments like these. I have no
short term memory. If something doesn’t’
make it through my filters, it doesn’t exist.
This day the laundry information didn’t make it into long term memory.
“If you are going to be that cranky over laundry,” I said after a long
pause, “You are going to make a truly awful caretaker when I get older and
remember nothing.”
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
- Himself: Yesterday: Lots of cranky folks at work, and today more. He had a great two day despite them. Good doctor’s visit too.
- Myself: Took photos and enjoyed the visit. I don’t remember going to this show at the Mingei either.
- Reading: ”The Little Colonel at Boarding School.”
- Gratitude’s: I was issued a “Friends of the San Diego Library’ apron today.
In our division of labour, Sue does all of the laundry, and I do all of the grocery shopping. And never the twain doth meet.
ReplyDeletenow if you did laundry every day, it would be burned into your memory. Tote that barge, lift that bale!
ReplyDeleteLOL... Robert gets upset at me if I do the laundry -- it was my job before he began doing it, after all, so I should have some right to do it if I see the need for a load to be done!
DeleteThe garbage bin left at the dump, a burner left on under a pan, the lettuce into the freezer. I must learn to bite my tongue or I will not be a good caregiver. God help me, I am a bit of a nasty on some days as hubby is also moving into memory loss.
ReplyDeleteWe've entered the world of those who cannot remember, and those who are easily distracted. Up in the middle of the night, the lightbulb in my desk lamp had burned out. No problem; go to the laundry room cupboard, get a new bulb and insert it. Take the old one to the kitchen to put into the recycle bin and Oh! I should fix myself a cup of hot cocoa -- I lay the old burned out lightbulb down on the counter as I prepare my cocoa. Robert comes in this morning and sees the bulb and only later asks me why it was laying on the counter. I tell him it burned out and I had it in my hand when I came into the kitchen to put it in the recycling bin but got distracted and so there it sat. I picked it up and put it in the recycling--only about 5 hours after the fact, but it got there. We must be tolerant of those we depend on for care--I think this is that 'give & take' they talk about in marriage. :) Hugs and love to you both!
ReplyDeletep.s. I do remember this dress and the fact that a high school teenager created it. I wonder where she is now and what she's doing. :)
ReplyDeleteNice to know your disagreements are not world shaking. These are easier to get past and smile about later.
ReplyDeleteLeaving things where they don't belong...we are both guilty. I keep the house very uncluttered so it's easy to see when something is not where it should be. It always surprises us, though, to catch ourselves leaving something where it doesn't belong.
ReplyDeleteLove that piece!
ReplyDelete