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Jane
- Mar 29, 2021
The nuns visit us
29.3.21 Today two nuns visited our house. They came to visit Lena, the tenant from the Phillipines, as she volunteers at their mission. We all started chatting and the nuns asked me where my parents were from. I said they were from Poland, had spent their teenage years in Auschwitz concentration camp as well as other work camps, and had lost most of their family in the Holocaust. I mentioned to the nuns that after the war mum was so down and alone that she decided to enter a


Jane
- Mar 23, 2021
Mania: it takes a village to settle mum
Sunday 14.3.21 It’s been a rough couple of days. On Friday, mum started showing signs of ‘mania’. I’m not sure of the correct terminology, but suddenly she became alert, chatty and reflective which was out of character to her usual subdued self. By Friday evening she had raided my wardrobe and had dressed herself (for the family dinner) in a random selection of clothes which were far too tight on her. But you could tell she felt pretty, with her bright pink lipstick and her w
Jane
- Mar 1, 2021
The Corridor
My family has a term for urinating and bowel motions - we call it ‘pishy and kuki’ things. I know it seems undignified and bad taste to talk about others’ toilet habits, especially ones' old mother's. But when you’re caring for someone who has dementia, this area becomes an integral part of daily life. I feel it’s important to bring to light and share some of the challenges I’ve experienced. 21.2.21 I’ve got the smell of kuki in my nostrils. I could feel it getting stronger a