There are different kinds of states of confusion in Dementia, and coming out of them is different too. There are the days when I do everything wrong, try and put things in an inappropriate place – rubbish in the fridge for example. Coming out of that involves sitting quietly, breathing, maybe a little prayer, perhaps making a list of what I need to do, sometimes if I can a nap. Quaker silence certainly helps and the techniques I have for entering it.
Then there is the fog of a urinary tract infection, which can be as bad as delirium, there is only one way out of this, anti-biotics and coming out of it is like magic at the tipping point of the drugs taking control of the infection I am suddenly fine. I need to sleep a lot if I can during the following days but everything is clear. Alexander Fleming I owe you such gratitude.
And then there is the kind of fog that I had at Christmas, caused perhaps by too much everything, and I literally don’t know where I am or more importantly, where I belong I come out of that fog in very slow stages, typically I recognise a book on a shelf as being mine, I notice the little bean filled toy that Daisy gave me to keep me company on my great adventure to Indonesia, I see the photograph of me and dad together, for the first time after a gap of 47 years, and we are smiling at each other, with such joy. Bit by bit things fall into focus, like a snow globe settling down. I’m exhausted once it is all done, and once again need to sleep amd sleep.
Fizzy Hammers 