What a difference 4.5 days make!!!!

Here I am again.   I'm back the following day.  Wow.  Impressive.

I am on Day # 5 of my respite vacation.  I called Mum last nite, to check on her and say hi.   She was exhausted last nite, and launched into quite a long story about how she spent the entire day running around looking at new houses.  Not only did she see quite a few of them, she also saw a couple of apartments that she really liked.  She went on to say how she has never liked apartments, but is beginning to like the whole    idea of living in a secure building.  I listened to her stories, all the while wondering where the hell all this was coming from.... the whole househunting thing.   My brother made a keen observation, when I was telling him about this, saying that "obviously something is firing up there in her brain".   And that made me feel better.  Mum's idea may be way out in left field, but the root of them proves she still has the ability to think that she is normal, functioning well.  And that pleases me.

I am beginning to feel better.  Back to my old self.  4.5 days of rest, and I'm getting back to normal.  Respite is so important when you are caring for a dementia patient full time.  Like I said, in my earlier posts, I am with Mum 24/7, and while we have a great little routine down pat, there comes a point where all those little "tasks" that you dread, begin to thread together, to produce one entire day of dread, day in, day out.  I was past that point last week, so Respite is essential.  A service that no caregiver should be without.

I also have a nite off tonight.  I placed leftover ham, some potatoes, onions and a couple of cans of Campbell's asparagus soup in the crock pot this morning, cleaned the house from top to bottom, and I'm now in my cave for the afternoon.  No where to be tonight.  No arena, no nothing.  dinner is prepared and I'm as free as a bird.  I'm not quite sure WHAT to do with myself. 
which I guess, is what allowed me to blog two days in a row!!   I wonder if you can hear the difference in my words.   The difference 4.5 days of rest makes.  The difference that 4.5 days of quiet, peace, darkness, alone-time, crazy solitude makes..  Well, if you can't see it....  you are most definately blind!!!!!