My day started all wrong.
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (49961)
October 24, 2025 12:37pm CST
It wasn't what I would call a restful night by any means. Son was restless and hurting, so he was up and down. He tries hard to be quiet, but of course I hear him. He finally went to sleep for a few hours at 530 AM. He does sleep in the daytime some, but he has to sleep when he is able to. Anyway...
The phone rang at 7:30 AM. So two hours of sleep for me...he was still asleep. It was a good friend of mine, she takes care of her 93 year old mother who has severe Dementia. Even though they have caregivers to help, it's still a lot of work for her. Friend's husband is 10 years older than she is. He is such a nice fellow, very friendly and personable. She had told me recently that he was becoming very forgetful lately. Of course, when someone says that we always worry. She called to tell me that her husband woke up, and said it was Thursday night, and what did she want for dinner? She informed him it was 7 AM on Friday morning. He told her she was delusional and was absolutely insistent that it was Thursday night. She couldn't convince him otherwise.
She called me to put me on speaker phone (and on the spot!) to tell him that it was Friday morning at 7:30 AM. I had no choice, she didn't give me a chance to wiggle out of this...and he said, ''Well, I know that. Why did you call to tell me that??''
Sigh...big, big sigh...I fear she will soon have another dementia patient to care for, and she can't manage that.
Son has to be at the treatment center and also another appointment this afternoon. It should be a fairly calm afternoon, at least, I hope so!
15 people like this
15 responses
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
She made him an appointment. He is an insulin dependent diabetic, so that's an issue. But he's always been sharp. She is very concerned.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
3h
@noni1959
Yes, and he has had several times lately that his sugar has dived wildly and he had to go to the hospital. Hopefully, it's that and not dementia. I am sorry about your granddaughter having it, a person has to be so vigilant and careful when they have diabetes.
@crossbones27 (51422)
• Mojave, California
8h
You know what I always wonder about dementia is if its just a modern world problem because all they ask people to do these days. I get its been going on for a while, but as the world continues to grow with all these things people need to learn.
Its not like old days 20 years they updated books for schools, then it was down to 10, then 5, it must be every year at this point and its brain overload. Hell I do not even know if they have books in school anymore. 
I refused to play the game myself years ago, but with bad actors I get the world is just changing to fast and people cannot keep up and I think when you get to older age the brain just goes haywire.
I am glad you are there for those people , but it might be contagious just trying to fix a problem like that if my theory is true. Be careful, turn off your phone and just go spend some where with family and get away from it all for a minute at least and then go back.
Bosses need to do a better job of sorry, I am giving you to much at once.
I refused to play the game myself years ago, but with bad actors I get the world is just changing to fast and people cannot keep up and I think when you get to older age the brain just goes haywire.
I am glad you are there for those people , but it might be contagious just trying to fix a problem like that if my theory is true. Be careful, turn off your phone and just go spend some where with family and get away from it all for a minute at least and then go back.
Bosses need to do a better job of sorry, I am giving you to much at once.1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (51422)
• Mojave, California
35m
@MarieCoyle Children see things and its the purest because no one told them how to think that way because they would not even know how to explain that to a child but a child will say listen to me I see something and its very powerful.
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
59m
My little grandson was talking one day about a great aunt on his mother's side, that they loved and visited with often. He told me that he thought maybe her brain got too tired, and it was too full, and that somehow some of the memories fell out. Ah...the minds of children. It could be even more truthful than we know.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (123996)
• Marion, Ohio
6h
I really feel for her. One is hard enough
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
3h
It really is. And she has always tried to be there for her mother, this is hard for her.
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
3h
It's hard to see, when people get super forgetful. But like you said, at least he believes you! 
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
11h
My son has been very ill. He has a blood disorder, add in that he was in a near fatal accident and it’s been a long hard time. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (65712)
• Serbia
11h
@MarieCoyle Oh God. I'm sorry to hear that. I hope it gets better soon.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (166138)
• United States
9h
Sometimes the care giving just piles on.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
It truly does. She is a nurse, but she isn't well herself. Her mother has more than enough money to be cared for by caregivers, which she has, but she still has to go there every day, follow up on caregivers, etc. Her mother often doesn't even know who she is, which makes my friend so sad.
@AmbiePam (104724)
• United States
10h
I hope your day has gone better since being awakened early this morning.
Your friend is in for a world of hurt if her husband has dementia. Someone is going to have to go to a nursing home eventually, whether she wants it or not. I feel horribly for her.
I hope your afternoon is going well!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
She has made him an appointment, but he doesn't know about it yet. He thinks he is fine, of course--and most of the time, he is fine. But...well, you know.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (197812)
• United States
11h
I hope so. Maybe you can catch some
..while he is in treatment 
..while he is in treatment 1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
I wish I could. I just can't sleep in a waiting room chair very well. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (90144)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
7h
Best of luck and I hope all went well,
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
Yes, she does. Her load is a big one. Thank you so much.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (49961)
•
9h
It got a bit hectic but deep breaths help a lot! Thanks.
1 person likes this
