Costco for a mega shopping and lunch.
The Shrine Festival down the park for Japanese crowds and fast food.
Lucky!
It is very incongruous to see her in COSTCO, with all the young families loading up with unhealthy American food - and then sitting in the noisy food court and eating her way through a whole Manhattan Clam Chowder pot.
She pushed the trolley all the way round - guided by Dear Son and bought two big bags of rice crackers.
But it is a good walk and very stimulating for her to be in such a big public place. Almost got lost on the way to the toilets! But all ok.
On Sunday night I had a nightmare that DS was blaming his mother's mental condition on me because "you don't treat her kindly and do enough" - so the next day I eased my nightmare guilt by taking her to the city festival in the park.
I don't know WHY I had that dream - DS certainly doesn't think anything like that...some odd sh** going on in my brain!
Anyway...down to the park festival - all food stalls and tacky prize games. Very traditional.
We walked together thru the crowds and ate octopus in batter balls and snacks and juice. Okaasan very nimble about finding places to sit on low walls and telling me endlessly how there weren't any festivals in wartime Japan etc.
It is quite a long walk thru the park and up and down subway steps - she was tired after that. But happy.
And yesterday - obviously fired up by all that stimulation she took herself downtown on the subway. Getting out and DOING something - even better if it is with us - obviously good for Okaasan's brain.
* Funny thing - I picked some flowers from the garden - don't know the name - but they are white and smell heavenly early and late in the day.
Put them on the kitchen table - showed them to Okaasan.
She couldn't smell them - not even after several attempts. Isn't that strange. This is a strong, sweet perfume - you couldn't NOT smell it.
Is that old people? Do they lose their sense of smell. Very odd.
Just as well. Okaasan's room smells horrible. She can live there and not mind.
Date time with DS tonight - yippeee...couple time :@-)
Cheap Groupon dinner of course.
The loss of the ability to smell is really fascinating - I just googled it and apparently it's one of the earliest indicators of dementia and Parkinson's disease, and is even used diagnostically to differentiate them from other neurological conditions. http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/37603/title/Smell-and-the-Degenerating-Brain/
ReplyDeletehey!!! That's amazing!! Interesting!! Makes you wonder too if that is why some elderly people often don't smell a gas/oil leak which then becomes an explosion. Also makes me wonder about DS a little...our recent oil leak he didn't really smell...and the same flowers on the kitchen table...he thought the smell wasn't so much...thankyou!
DeleteGlad to hear your MIL had a good time on her outings. Even if she doesn't remember, live in the moment. I just found out a friend's husband is going into slow memory decline. I feel so bad for him, attorney, active community helper. So sad.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and husband are getting out alone. Have fun and enjoy.
You are a remarkable, caring woman.
Best Regards
Thankyou. I am sorry to hear about your friend's husband - she will have a hard time and she needs good friends to give her a balanced happy life - getting out ans away from caring is important.For me I am seeing a woman I never knew with this disease - but to see a parent/spouse decline must be the hardest.
DeleteAlthough it is true that the loss of smell can indicate dementia or other diseases I would not follow this route immediately.
ReplyDeleteYou mention DH has also shown he could not smell the oil leak and the flowers and both seem to have a healthy appetite (one of the things you lose when your sense of smell is gone).
I am beginning to wonder if they do not have congenital anosmia (born without the sense of smell). Also, some people may be anosmic for one particular set of odours. This is known as "specific anosmia".
One should be very careful when googling stuff without doing a thorough research on the subject. Yes, anosmia happen to old people, it can indicate dementia, but can also be congenital, specific or several other things including a mere vitamin B12 deficiency.
Francesca.