Thursday 23 April 2015

Alive in Sapporo!

This is the public me....






Next month - May 23, Saturday at Sapporo Plaza 2.5 movie theater in Sapporo a double-bill film event, PLUS a visit from the director of these two Japanese documentaries!
THREE HUNDRED tickets will be on sale on the door - there are going to be laughs and tears and learning and sharing. It'll be a great event.

I fell in love with the first film when I saw it about 3 years ago. One snowy afternoon in a tiny movie theater. Sitting in the dark surrounded by other middle aged people all seeing familiar scenes on the screen - the family members of people with dementia.
Loved the first film. I was excited that film 2 was coming. Then disappointed that no local theater planned to show it. 
Now they will. 
Well, I will.
Booked the theater, booked the films, caught a lucky break with the director being in town for a conference of the Japanese Society for Dementia Care....and spent a somewhat stressy time getting the flyers designed/approved/printed.
Now I am coasting down with one month to go - to promotion, organizing on the day volunteers and generally worrying about things like microphones/tickets/timing.

:-)

So that is public me. Headless chicken with huge ideas.

Private me.
You know....

We got Okaasan along for a hair cut.
I booked it, then DS was due to take her. But.....he forgot, and she didn't remember of course. So big apologies to the salon and she went a day later.
Looked great afterwards. It lasted a week.
Then she had a bath and her hair looks all matted and strange.
Not sure why - she isn't washing her hair for sure. Or she is washing it with soap? Or what? A nice hair cut now looks very bad.

Her walking is back to normal. Goes out late afternoon. Usually the local shops. Comes home with a stash of familiar things.
Family dinners with hardly any conversation - more and more Okaasan just looks at her food and eats. Even if we are talking in Japanese about general, happy topics....she hardly ever joins in. Will answer if we directly prompt her - but she doesn't join the conversations much.
Thankgoodness DS is home and he and I can talk.
Also that he is housewifing a lot for me.

I had one of Okaasan's summer blouses repaired in a local repair shop. The woman did a wonderful job and it gives Okaasan something more to wear.

Another summer for Okaasan. Hopefully she will enjoy the walking and foods. Flowers and chat. Simple stuff.

Oh...and going back to me...
I almost fainted at work recently. At the end of a long day. Started blacking out in the classroom. Rescued by a student who pushed the whiteboard back and got me down on the carpet.
Dear Son came rushing over and he and the student called an ambulance, mainly because it was 6 pm on a Friday and hospitals start closing.
Ambulance ride to a local well known brain hospital! MRI!

Brain all ok. Blood pressure was low.
Now I bought a blood pressure checking machine and I am keeping records. Trying to eat at regular times. Trying to rest.....

Trying....

But got 300 tickets to sell.....


3 comments:

  1. Don't forget to take good care of yourself as well as Okaasan. She is very lucky to have you.

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  2. I could relate to what you post about Okassan. My father is an Alzheimer patient. Thanks for your genuine post. I'm sure it touches people's heart and hopefully it will raise the awareness of the education and support for Alzhiemer's caretaker all around the world!

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    Replies
    1. Thankyou for your kind words - there are a lot of us...the caretakers....going on day after day....good days and not so great. I hope one day will be my caretaker, kindly.

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