Dazed + Confused {Dementia Diaries 3}
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You know how sometimes when you wake up and your dream won’t go away? It’s almost like the dream was so real that you think it’s real? Then after a minute or so, you realize, it was just a dream? Well my poor grandfather was so dazed and confused a couple mornings ago over a dream he had that he literally for 45 minutes to an hour thought his dream was reality. It was kind of funny but another eye opener that he is getting older and the dementia is happening more often than not. Remember I shared last week that my grandfather was missing me because I had been working for HomeGoods these past couple weeks on a design shoot? Well this past Thursday, I was up early again and we passed in the kitchen at about 5:30am. I am in my bathrobe, hair looking crazy and I am struggling to make a cup of coffee and in comes my grandfather looking all confused and a mess. I automatically stopped because I thought his sugar was low and I thought he was going to fall over. My heart stopped and I thought…..not again.
He looked at me and said, “Jessie, I don’t know where I am.”
I said, “what do you mean?”
He said, “your father just woke me up and I have been trying to tell him that I just got home from work and he doesn’t believe me.”
I touched him on his hand to make sure he wasn’t cold because I was thinking he was sitting outside or literally did go to work. I thought he pulled another stunt of leaving in the middle of the night and just got home. Thankfully he didn’t do that. I asked him why he thought he was at work and he started to tear up.
He said, “kid, I was just sweeping the floors, I know I just got home.”
He was starting to get aggravated and mad because I he didn’t feel that I believed him either. You see, he woke up at 2am, got a drink, went to the bathroom and went back to bed. When my dad went to check his sugar levels at 5am (as he does every morning), my dad found him sleeping so my dad woke him up. My grandfather had been apparently dreaming about sweeping the floors at my dad’s work and literally couldn’t shake the dream. The dream became his reality for about 45 minutes. I felt so bad for him. He didn’t have his teeth in (he wears dentures) and was all confused. We all know how it is to have a dream and when you wake up, you are like, “wow, that was a pretty real dream.” BUT you kick that feeling very quickly. Not this time for my grandfather. Thankfully his sugar levels were good, he just took a bit to come back to reality. -ha. One thing that helped him realize it was a dream and come back to reality was when we started to talk about the day before and what he and I did together, his trip to Walmart (the day before) and what he did after dinner (the night before). When I reminded him of those events and he started to remember them, he started to realize that it was 5:30am the next day and that he just had dream. When he finally was back to his normal self, he looked at me and started laughing and said, “kid, I am loosing it!” I giggled back and said, “yep, you kinda are….” -ha. There is something that makes him so confused after and right before sleep. Be sure to check out our new series on the blog, “Dementia Diaries.”
Meet Jessica
What started as a hobby, Jessica’s blog now has millions of people visit yearly and while many of the projects and posts look and sound perfect, life hasn’t always been easy. Read Jessica’s story and how overcoming death, divorce and dementia was one of her biggest life lessons to date.
You are a very sweet granddaughter. Your grandpa is blessed to have you so nearby.
Thanks Barbara!
Have you done any research on Coconut oil and the results they are getting with regard to dementia or Alzheimer’s patients? There is so much info out there on it.. Maybe you should take a look at it. I do know at least one person whose husband was experiencing the onset of dementia and after 3 months of using it, he was much improved, not perfect, but he was having less episodes.. Just saying…
Oh wow Ann, that is great it’s working your friend. I had no idea about coconut oil. There is so much info out there, it’s overwhelming. I will read up on it 😉
I am wondering if the coconut oil is consumed as a capsule or by using it as a food item etc. I had heard coconut oil was a good item for helping with mental issues but have not been able to find all the info you have mentioned.
My Grandparents lived with us when I was a kid. My Papa was a retired Railroad Policeman who retired because his ear drum was shattered when he was too close to an explosion. One day I brought his coffee up to his room and he was pushing against the wall. I said what are you doing Papa and he told me he was trying to push the train out of his room and asked me to help him. I got up and pushed against the wall because it was easier than fighting with him. My parents died when I was 28 and 36 respectively and I would have given anything if they had been around to ask me to push the train out of their room. I know it is hard but you are teaching your children how to treat their elders and that is something lacking in today’s world.
Oh wow Patty, so sorry you lost your parents at such a young age. Even though pushing the train out of the room was due to your Papa’s decline in health, it gave you a wonderful memory of helping him 🙂 You are right, best to just go with it instead of fighting it 🙂
You might try some signs in his room. ” You are Home”. Above the door maybe. When he wakes up that might be what he would see. It is good he is on a schedule though. God bless.
Funny you say that about a sign, he told me he was so thankful that he crosses off the days on his calendar because that helped him realize that it was the next day. If he writes it and if he see’s his calendar , he seems to believe it more.
Jessica, my heart hurts for you and I understand. I remember years ago my Grandfather came over for a visit with other family members. After a few moments, he walked up to me and said, ‘Ma’am, you have a beautiful home. Do you mind if I take a tour?’ I was stunned, but quickly recovered and said, ‘of course…lets take a look.’ My precious, precious Grandfather. I can tell you’re very special to your Grandfather. I’ve heard that dementia and Alzheimer’s are sometimes called ‘the long goodbye.’ Cherish the moments.
Thanks Paulette. Hopefully his spells will be few and far between but we just take them as they come. I know what you mean by being stunned by stuff. Many of his delusional episodes are when his sugar is really low or dropped quickly so hopefully we have the sugar issue under control for the time being. I hope he (or anyone in my family for that matter) never experiences loss of memory of who we are and what’s going on around him. I can handle minor episodes and short periods of confusion but not sure I could deal memory loss of his family, me or him forgetting who he is. I have read so much on that stuff and it scares me. A day at a time ;). Stay in touch!
Just keep doing what you are doing.. When my mother first was diagnosed, she would say, “Gail, I just can’t keep anything straight.” I would just tell her that she had a lot going on and a person just can’t remember everything. That seemed to calm her. I never wanted her to worry about her dementia. My brothers would ask me…. why does she always remember you and not us? I would say… I am her favorite. LOL
As I said, you keep doing what you are doing. You love him and he loves you. That is what matters.
Thanks Gail 🙂