Reality...cleans.

So, there you are.
Sitting at your computer. Hi, there!
Yes, Blogger now has spy camera technology - I can see you - sitting there with that cup of wine to hand, reading the blog of that British woman in Japan with the mother-in-law and she has dementia..

In a few minutes from now one of your family members will come into the room, armed with rubber gloves, a bucket of water and some towels and start talking about cleaning "that stain on the tatami mat".
And they will start cleaning away at a brown stain on the floor, and you won't know why.

And they will talk about you had a little diarrhea this week and there was a little mess, and they will continue cleaning.
And you'll stand there and wonder why, and remember nothing about having an upset stomach last week.
Even...when they show you some of your pants...all very dirty.....
You won't know WHAT they are talking about.

You'll be gobsmacked, won't you?

Okaasan was.

I HAD to go in openly this morning and do it.
He is away for 3 days with the car again, so Okaasan probably won't go out...and really that kind of stain can't be left for many more days....
I wondered about making up some story about some OTHER kind of stain. But the trouble is, I don't have a routine of going into Okaasan's room and cleaning WHILE she is there...so anything I did was going to be strange.
Finally I decided not to lie and layer on the deceptions: just do it openly and honestly and non-fussily, like a nurse. No nonsence practical.

Of course Okaasan had NO memory of " a bit of an upset stomach last week", and even when I showed her the soiled pants (which I fished out of the cat toilet box trash bin) she had no idea.

LUCKILY the stain seems to have...errr...soaked thru the tatami mat, so with a bit of water and towel you can't see much now.

I sandwiched this experience for Okaasan with nice stuff; gave her new, winter pajamas last night - and then tonight bought her favorite classic sushi. I just hope the nice experiences will counter out the confusion.....

Oh, sorry - you should go now - I think that family member is coming in to tell you something....