I called my sister today and she's informed me that dad is getting angry again. It's getting harder and harder to get him into the shower and he's pooping on himself. She said he's spreading poop in the bathroom and wiping poopy fingers on her towels. I know he's not taking all the meds he was taking when he was here with me. The doctor there rx'd some different meds for him. I'm not sure if he's taking Aricept anymore or not.

While I spoke with him today, I noticed that his long term memory is declining faster now. The last time I saw him, he had already begun to lose some of the long term memory. But there are things that we used to speak of often that he would remember. Today's conversation consisted of a lot of "I'm not sure's" and "I don't remember's". He spoke of my son and he did remember something my son called him to talk to him about two nights before. My son's friend killed himself and my son was really upset just having come from his friend's wake. Dad listened and that's just what my son needed. I don't know how much dad understood but he let my son talk and I'm just grateful for that.

The boy was 15 and he shot himself in the mouth with a gun that another teen gave him in school and dared him to kill himself with. He killed himself in his house with his parents and siblings in the next room. It's so horribly sad.

On the other hand, I told dad his refridgerator died this morning and we had to go out and buy a new one. Usually that would have sent him into a "I should get in the car and come home" mode but it didn't.

I have some mixed feelings now. My sister still hasn't taken him for the MRI to check on the meningioma. That was supposed to have happened last September. She told me she had taken him but later said she didn't. You know how it is when people tell so many lies. they get lost in the lies they told.

My sister says she's coming here in June to pick up her step daughter and bring her back home for a visit. She'll be bringing dad home then too, I'm sure.

Wish me luck. I have enough to deal with with my son right now. He's taking his friend's death VERY hard.

Love, Barb

Oh Barb,

What a sad thing for that young man's family. And your son, he must be devastated. That is so awful. He'll be grieving for a long time.

Yeah, it makes you wonder what is really going on with your dad. Sis prolly won't tell it as it "really" is. She may have not kept his meds up though, and that would certainly make a difference.

I hope you have lots of time with your son. Sure glad there are several months before June, and dad's arrival.

((((((((((hugs))))))))))) Barb and ((((((((hugs))))))))) for your son, too. It's so sad when young people end their lives. There is no end to the hurt they leave behind and it's so permanent. They just don't see that problems really do stop and things do get better, A friend's daughter killed herself at age 14 about 8 years ago and it's all still right there for our friends. I hope your son can understand that his friend made a bad decision and that not even a tiny part of what happened is in any way his fault. As much as he'd wish it, he could not have known to prevent it. So sad.

I do hope your father is as well as possible and that he comes back to you only after you're finished with the bus driving for the summer. Perhaps you should go ahead and get a late June or July appointment to get your father's meningioma checked.

More ((((hugs)))) to you. Peace - Barbara

Sorry Barb ..such a distressing sitruation.

I hope your Dad can be placed in a good facility..the poopy spearding cycle is perhaps the worst stage of all...and I fear my girlfriends's dad is in it too. --- I am staying at my DILs for 2 more nights because after all the pre planning from America, the dentist's office did not leave any slots free for me until this Friday after last Wednesday's intiail exam. Now I just hope the work can all get done before my flight home!

Love and prayers for all caregivers,

Martha

My son is doing better after a weekend of grieving, reflecting and accepting. He and his friends got together and talked about their friend. I think that helped them all a lot and will continue to help them. Most of them are talking and not keeping it bottled up inside. One, however, has been so distraught that he's mentioned joining his friend. All the other friends have joined together to rally around this young man who isn't handling his grief very well. They've spoken to the young man and his parents to let them know that they are very worried about him. Hopefully, his parents will get some counceling for him.

Thanks, Barbara, for the suggestion on getting the MRI appt for dad. If it turns out that my sister doesn't come up here, I can always go get him.

Love, Barb