Living in a Madhouse

Below is a diary entry of a young boy who lives with his old parents and sister in the same house. His mother suffers from a condition called dementia, a disease that comes with the old age and it can ruin not only the patient’s life but also life of people around them. Now, let’s give ear to this young boy to learn more about his life.

Hello, I’m John and I’m now living in San Antonio, Texas with my old parents and sister. Literally, I’m living in a mad house because my mom suffers from dementia. It is a terrible mental and physical disease, and the sufferers are the elderly people. It also causes agitation, pain and limited movement. Any time you can find my mom shouting out loud for nothing. She says she has great pain when you barely touch her fingers and that means more shouting. We try to give her medicine but she always has to say no first. After hour(s) of talks and discussions, she takes them. However, it is too late because it is now time for the next dose of her medicine. Life is not so easy for us.

My father is 70 years old and he is retired. Most of the time he takes care of my mom. His life is even more difficult as he is the one to blame for anything that happens. He is a really good man and he is doing his best to take care of her along with all the housework and cooking. My sister has a full time job and I have to go to school. So, my father is mom’s only option as her care giver although she often asks him to leave the house. She says he is killing her with drugs or treating her badly. When all this started, I was so naïve that I would believe in my mom. I installed an IP cam and started to watch and record my parents when they were by themselves in the house. I saw that my father was kind, caring and loving all the time doing his best to help. However, my mom is the one who causes the problems as she has no logic at all.

Every day, I pray God to give us more patience or less pain and suffering to my mom. Life with dementia is not hard but almost impossible.

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