Green Queen
Very helpful member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2015
- Messages
- 1,304
- Reason
- DX MND
- Diagnosis
- 4/2016
- Country
- AUS
- State
- Western Australia
- City
- By the beach
Ever have one of those days? Ever feel useless?
Bit of background...if you're a 'local' you attended the same school as your great-great-great....you get it. I'm that kind of local, so it's not that I know a lot of people really, but of them, like the 'jones' family in my story.
Three years ago, Mrs jones was tragically killed at the front of her grandsons school on his confirmation day. Not long before, Mr jones had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This terrible day then left their son, 'john' as mr jones carer.
Well...I have been very down and on some new medication which knocks me out.
Therefore I slept through my alarm and didn't make it to my monthly support group meeting. I went along after the meeting to talk to the Neuro nurses about my Sydney trip...and well, four women in a room...it took a while.
Then had to have my nails trimmed, but they were flat out, asked me to go back in half an hour, still had to wait another 15mins I'd say.
Went to the post office, STOOD in queue for half an hour (very tired by now)...then realised my paperwork wasn't complete.
What's next...oh yes, saw a friend when I left the post office, very saddened to hear her husband on 27 years had cheated on her and walked out...couldn't walk away from that conversation until she'd gotten a lot off her chest...that wouldn't have been nice.
By now Wayne is ringing me...'where are you? It's late! It's cold!'
So I started down the main Street and stopped Henry to put my poncho on, it was getting very cool. Suddenly, Mr jones came up to me and asked if I'd seen john? No, I hadn't. Mr jones was quite anxious but assured me he was ok, so I drove about 100m and stopped. This poor man, it was cold, he was anxious and alone in the street...with Alzheimer's.
Because I know 'of' the family, I knew his daughter Jane was in real estate, so I googled her, found her number and called.
She asked me to sit with her dad until she'd get there. I turned around and there's mr jones, terrified, standing IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!
I swear Henry has never gone so fast, yet not fast enough for my liking.
I jumped off Henry and got mr jones safe on a bench and waited for Jane. After about 10 minutes the son john turns up, angry that I'd contacted his sister who would 'have a go' at him. (So she should, mind you!). John had been at 'the god dammed bookies' (mr jones exact words...Alzheimer's hadn't taken his common sense there).
So yes, John was mad at me...but if my day hadn't gone bad, I NEVER would have been down town on a cold day at 5.40 to help a frightened man with Alzheimer's stay safe.
Thank god for God, to allow my day to, in the end, gladden my heart for being useful.
I just had to share. Hope it makes sense.
God bless, Janelle x
Bit of background...if you're a 'local' you attended the same school as your great-great-great....you get it. I'm that kind of local, so it's not that I know a lot of people really, but of them, like the 'jones' family in my story.
Three years ago, Mrs jones was tragically killed at the front of her grandsons school on his confirmation day. Not long before, Mr jones had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This terrible day then left their son, 'john' as mr jones carer.
Well...I have been very down and on some new medication which knocks me out.
Therefore I slept through my alarm and didn't make it to my monthly support group meeting. I went along after the meeting to talk to the Neuro nurses about my Sydney trip...and well, four women in a room...it took a while.
Then had to have my nails trimmed, but they were flat out, asked me to go back in half an hour, still had to wait another 15mins I'd say.
Went to the post office, STOOD in queue for half an hour (very tired by now)...then realised my paperwork wasn't complete.
What's next...oh yes, saw a friend when I left the post office, very saddened to hear her husband on 27 years had cheated on her and walked out...couldn't walk away from that conversation until she'd gotten a lot off her chest...that wouldn't have been nice.
By now Wayne is ringing me...'where are you? It's late! It's cold!'
So I started down the main Street and stopped Henry to put my poncho on, it was getting very cool. Suddenly, Mr jones came up to me and asked if I'd seen john? No, I hadn't. Mr jones was quite anxious but assured me he was ok, so I drove about 100m and stopped. This poor man, it was cold, he was anxious and alone in the street...with Alzheimer's.
Because I know 'of' the family, I knew his daughter Jane was in real estate, so I googled her, found her number and called.
She asked me to sit with her dad until she'd get there. I turned around and there's mr jones, terrified, standing IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!
I swear Henry has never gone so fast, yet not fast enough for my liking.
I jumped off Henry and got mr jones safe on a bench and waited for Jane. After about 10 minutes the son john turns up, angry that I'd contacted his sister who would 'have a go' at him. (So she should, mind you!). John had been at 'the god dammed bookies' (mr jones exact words...Alzheimer's hadn't taken his common sense there).
So yes, John was mad at me...but if my day hadn't gone bad, I NEVER would have been down town on a cold day at 5.40 to help a frightened man with Alzheimer's stay safe.
Thank god for God, to allow my day to, in the end, gladden my heart for being useful.
I just had to share. Hope it makes sense.
God bless, Janelle x