I tried to find out what differences there are between the two of me.  She never really said.  Last night was the sort of night that usually begins the hallucination days.  She was in need of help a number of times.  It was not a night when she was up every few minutes with a new hallucination, but we were up more than once per hour.  I expect more intense and frequent hallucinations tonight since they have been so strong today.

I remembered the part about sleeping when she is sleeping during the day after a difficult night.  She never napped today.  Hospice Aide Sonya said that Mary Ann kept getting up as she was trying to give her her shower this morning.  Sonya finally just finished quickly since it was not safe while Mary Ann was so anxious (Sonya’s word).

Mary Ann had gotten up very early, as usually happens when the dementia is firing up.  I was surprised that she stayed seated while I got my shower.  She ate three normal meals today.  Only for very short periods of time did she put her head down.  Almost the entire day, she was in pop up mode, demanding my remaining only a few feet away at all times.  Once when the phone rang, she popped up and ended up on the floor on top of the rolling table that is in front of her chair.  As always, she did not hurt herself.  I had to hang up and phone back later.

Finally in mid-afternoon, I was able to get her into the car so that I could get coffee and then get ice cream.  She is actually safest when seat belted in the car.  That way she can’t pop up, fall and hurt herself.  She stayed in the car during our stops.  This time I got her dish of ice cream (frozen custard) at G’s, fed it to her, and then went back to get mine.  I can’t help her and eat ice cream at the same time.

She was talking lots to people that she saw during the day, none of whom were actually there.  I left the room for a moment and she went to the sliding glass door to let in the dog we don’t have.  She quietly asked if I didn’t want to go out on the deck and talk with Daughter Lisa, whom she said was out there.  Lisa is in Kentucky where she lives with her family.  Once when I had given her a lemon bar, after the first bite she said I was trying to trick her.  Then she said something about my going to or coming back from London.  While I have no idea how the Lemon Bar and London were associated, this time there was an explanation for London coming into her mind.  Right at that moment on television a character on NCIS was talking about going to London.

Mary Ann finally decided to lie down right after supper.  I am so grateful to have a moment’s relief from jumping up and grabbing her gait belt as she went looking for one thing or another.

I got Mary Ann up to change into her bed clothes and take her nighttime pills.  I am going to try to get to bed early tonight in hopes that she will sleep a while before the night time hallucinations get going.  Most times any hopes such as those don’t materialize.  We will see how it goes. She already is appearing restless.

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I am expecting a worse night tonight than last night.  My hope is that she will nap tomorrow so that I can get some sleep then.