All shook up...

Had 24 hours with no thigh spasms, so crossing my fingers (cos it's safer than my legs), that I've conquered this problem.


Drinking LOADS of water.
Eating veggies and fruit. Banana growers in the Philippines are celebrating.
Turned on the steamer on the classroom heater to "high".
Stretching a lot.
Pushed the cats to the side of the bed.
Um...what else?


Yesterday morning I had some small spasms on waking up, and one at the computer table. I felt them coming and started stretching...seemed to keep them at bay.


Maybe. 
Lots of advice from students and friends: WATER seems to be a main point.


Okaasan is back on track though: took herself out this week for a walk and went downtown with Yujiro yesterday to do some shopping. Eating loads again.


I talked to her about using the diaper pads at night and left the packet in her room. And I bought a toilet trash box to put near the toilet as a hint to use it for the wet pants. But actually the box is too small for the pants, so I'll have to get another one.
I don't think she'll use it now though. Last week's crises is finished and she thinks she can get up and go to the toilet easily. So she doesn't think she needs to use these "old people pads".
But I sort of hope that if the topic of these pads is in her life, slowly but surely she might accept the idea someday that she might as well use them....if she sees the packet in her room....she won't do it because I suggested it, but if it is there and someday she might....


Hoping.


Meanwhile our Alice in Wonderland life continues: the other night we had the Under cooked Potato event.


Eating Oden, kind of a table top pot full of fish paste bits and veggies. Okaasan really loves SOFT potatoes. But Yujiro has slightly undercooked them....by the 4th time of Okaasan commenting that  the potatoes were hard and that really I like SOFT potatoes...he took my hint and took the offending tubers out of the pot and zapped them in the microwave to make them acceptable to her.
You can so easily understand how domestic violence can occur in families caring for dementia sufferers. Over such a small thing like this: she isn't really complaining. But because she says it so many times, with the same tone of voice you can't help but get irritated and feel your tension rising.
I watched Rain Man recently - Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman. Many of their conversations seemed eerily familiar! No - the maple syrup must be on the table BEFORE the pancakes arrive!!!!!


Grrrrrr: YES! The potatoes are UNDER COOKED BUT OK TO EAT!!!