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The Morning Routine
by
Christopher Loki
[[Start Reading |Beginning]] I slowly walked into the kitchen and poured a cold glass of
water, appreciating every minute of peace afforded to me by my husband
taking the kids to school. Sadly, this didn’t last long after I found
a roughly scrawled message on a tattered piece of paper.
"Check in with mom!" I read out loud, curiously.
I thought about it and walked over to the [[bathroom|bathroom2]] - [[phone]].
I slowly walked to the bathroom and began to brush my teeth
which quickly turned the white toothpaste an odd shade of red. After
contorting my face in the mirror, almost surprised at my own age, I pulled
a roughly scrawled message on a tattered piece of paper from under the mirror.
"Check in with mom!" I read out loud, curiously.
I thought about it and walked over to the [[kitchen|kitchen2]] - [[phone]].
The dial tone rang out as I racked my brain for any reasons why I needed
to call my mother, but I couldn’t recall anything. Suddenly I heard the
sobs of an elderly woman as she hopelessly called out; "Doris, is this you again?"
I was utterly confused. Was this my grandma’s voice? I desperately
attempted to make an ounce of sense from this old woman's sadness.
[["Grandma Rosie?"|answer1]] – [["Who’s this, I want to talk to my mother"|answer2]].
"The phone can wait" I thought to myself as I slowly walked
into the bathroom. I began to brush my teeth which quickly turned the
white toothpaste an odd shade of red. After contorting my face in the
mirror, almost surprised at my own age, I took another look at the note.
I can't recall the last time I called my mother and I suspected it was
a suspiciously impolite amount of time.
I guess I should [[call mother|phone]].
"The phone can wait" I thought to myself as I slowly walked into the
kitchen. I poured a cold glass of water, appreciating every minute of
peace afforded to me by my husband taking the kids to school. Although, I
couldn’t take my mind off that note. I couldn’t recall the last time I
called my mother and I suspected it was an impolite amount of time.
I guess I should [[call mother|phone]].
I couldn't resist watching her paws gently rise up and down as they
lazily rested on her bloated but adorability belly. Her adventurous
nature had long gone. Now she just lies on her back, isolated and confused.
"You poor thing, you can hardly take care of yourself anymore."
Once I topped up her food bowl and gave her fluffy neck a light rub, I
carried on my morning routine in the [[kitchen]] - [[bathroom]].
"I can’t do this anymore Doris, I just can’t" she cried before the dull,
familiar sound of the dial tone rang out. I stood there in complete
bewilderment. An unexpected feeling of panic hit me as my nerves steadily
grew. I felt angry that I couldn’t recognise Grandma Rosie in the state
she was in.
I thought the best thing I could do was to check for clues on my [[calendar]].
"I can’t do this anymore Doris, I just can’t" she cried before the dull,
familiar sound of the dial tone rang out. I stood in there complete
bewilderment. An unexpected feeling of panic hit me as my nerves steadily
grew. I felt angry that I couldn’t recognise that women’s voice.
I thought the best thing I could do was to check for clues my [[calendar]].
You feel like your perspective on the world has changed as you notice
someone has obviously altered the dates. This new perspective makes you
feel disconnected from the world. Where have your husband and children’s
appointments gone? Their school trips and birthday parties? You feel
deeply frustrated and anxious.
You step back and take a deep breath, as the [[cat]] - [[phone|phone again]] catches your eye.
You’re in a state of shock and awe as a smartly dressed, button down man
opens your front door and strolls stright in like he owns the place.
The sheer gall of this man’s confidence as he takes center stage of
your living room, looking you up and down, assessing your every move.
You walk straight up to him, holding back the bulk of your anger as you
attempt to [[physically escort him out|argument]] – [[verbally berate him|argument2]].
"What the hell has happened here" you shout as bits of cracked
plastic fall through your fingers as you pick up a broken phone.
You curiously run your fingers across the discoloured plug as you
notice the phone had been pulled out of the wall and destroyed.
You stand up in anger but get distracted when you hear someone knocking at the [[door]].As you stomp towards him, his eyes widen as he fumbles in his
pockets and calmly tells you not to worry. He quickly pulls out
a nurse’s i.d. card and holds it politely in front of you.
You squint your eyes and take a [[closer look |nurse]].
"What do you think you’re doing, walking inside my house like you own the
place" you shout furiously. His eyes widen as he fumbles in his
pockets and calmly tells you not to worry. He quickly pulls out
a nurse’s i.d. card and holds it politely in front of you.
You squint your eyes and take a [[closer look |nurse]].
Doris’s perspective on the world slipped away even further as the man
quietly and calmly explained that his name was Elijah, he’s a nurse
and was there to help her. "It’s time for dinner now" he said, softly. A
confused look quickly overwhelmed Doris as she felt lost inside her own
mind. she had never felt this level of frustration before. She knew she
was right and that there was no doubt to be had. "Stop this at once" she demanded.
"what have you done with my [[cat |argumentcat1]] - [[calendar |argumentcal1]] - [[phone |argumentphone1]].""This is my house! You came in through my front door!" Doris shouted as she
became more agitated and restless. "my husband will be back soon, then you’ll
be the one who’s humiliated" Doris spat as she marched past the nurse.
"He’s probably just around the corner" she said as she opened the [[door |Front door]].
"We don’t allow cats on the premises Doris,
I’m really sorry" the nurse gently explained.
"liar!" Doris screamed.
"what about the [[calendar |argumentcal2]] - [[phone |argumentphone2]].""That’s your medicine calendar Doris,
I can you help check it if you want" the nurse softly explained.
"liar!" Doris screamed.
"what about the [[cat |argumentcat2]] - [[phone |argumentphone2]].""We don’t allow phones in the residents rooms,
I’m very sorry" the nurse softly explained.
"liar!" Doris screamed.
"what about the [[cat |argumentcat2]] - [[calendar |argumentcal2]].""We don’t allow pets on the premises I’m afraid" the nurse reluctantly explained.
Doris’s face distorted in despair as she struggled to understand.
"You’ve done this to me" Doris shouted as she venomously pointed at the nurses gentle face.
"My husband will be home at minute, then you’ll know, then you’ll know what’s what!"
The nurse gave Doris some space, then carefully said, "You’re in a care home Doris,
you have lots of friends here that care about you, would you like to come [[outside |hospital]]."
"That’s your medicine calendar Doris, I can help you check it if you want" the nurse
reluctantly explained. Doris’s face distorted in despair as she struggled to understand.
"You’ve done this to me" Doris shouted as she venomously pointed at the nurse’s gentle face.
"My husband will be home at minute, then you’ll know, then you’ll know what’s what!"
The nurse gave Doris some space, then carefully said, "You’re in a care home Doris,
you have lots of friends here that care about you, would you like to come [[outside |hospital]].""We don’t allow private phones in the residents rooms I’m afraid" the nurse calmly explained.
Doris’s face distorted in despair as she struggled to understand.
"You’ve done this to me" Doris shouted as she venomously pointed at the nurse’s gentle face.
"My husband will be home any minute, then you’ll know, then you’ll know what’s what!"
The nurse gave Doris some space, then carefully said, "You’re in a care home Doris,
you have lots of friends here that care about you, would you like to come [[outside |hospital]]."The smell of freshly cut grass accompanied by a nostalgic view of the
long village road dotted with street lamps where Doris once waited for
her husband was now replaced by the clinical smell of a care home as she
mournfully stared down a bleak white corridor. "where’s my husband"
Doris said, faintly. She was in a state of shock as she staggered back
into her room that no longer felt like her own. The nurse notices her
heightened anxiety as Doris slammed the door shut and started to frantically
look around the room, desperately trying to recognise a single object.
The nurse opened the door to get Doris’s attention then attempted to
calm her down by distracting her from her worries.
[["Doris, could you please help me prepare dinner?"|helping]]
–
[["Doris, would you like to walk with me around the garden?"|walking]]Doris was taken by surprise with the nurse’s request. "I’m sorry you’re
upset, let’s go prepare dinner together" the nurse said calmly. Doris
struggled to remember why she was so worked up. She felt so frustrated as
she stood their contemplating answers to questions she didn’t understand.
The nurse followed his training like the hundreds of times
before and asked Doris a simple question.
[["Doris, could you help me sort the biscuits for after dinner."|biscuits]]
–
[["Doris, I’ve heard you make the best cups of tea."|tea]]
Doris was taken by surprise with the nurse’s request. "I’m sorry you’re
upset, let’s go for a walk together" the nurse said calmly. Doris
struggled to remember why she was so worked up. She felt so frustrated as
she stood their contemplating answers to questions she didn’t understand.
The nurse followed his training like the hundreds of times
before and asked Doris a simple question.
[[“Doris, do you remember the good old days when Charlie Chaplin was on the tv.”|tv]]
–
[[“Doris, do you remember the good old days when sweets cost 1p.”|sweets]] "What the hell has happened here" you shout as you stare at a pile of old
newspapers where your cat once rested. You curiously run your fingers down
the yellowed, water damaged pages trying to make some sense out of this absurdity.
You stand up in anger but get distracted when you hear someone knocking at the [[door]].As the pair walked down the corridor, Doris looked slightly baffled until
the nurse reassured her, "your son should be coming by this weekend."
Doris smiled at the thought of her son coming to visit. Even though her
perspective on the world had changed over the years and she must now rely
on the perspectives of others. She is nevertheless content and happy with
her life until the next morning routine.
The End.
If you have any questions or concerns about dementia, please visit
[[www.dementiauk.org|https://www.dementiauk.org/get-support/?gclid=CjwKCAjw7MzkBRAGEiwAkOXexJR2UQ6zaAiZzn8ukdwGmPiVXws0f_C-Hkqb8GJW0pSXGvTZHbrYDRoC4iUQAvD_BwE]] or call the dementia helpline on: 0800 888 6678."Sweets" Doris thought as her past worries drifted away into a foggy
blur. "oh, don’t get me started on how expensive sweets are nowadays"
she said with a new found smile on her face. The nurse happily shared
the smile as he held out his hand and said, "come on, let’s go on a
walk and you can tell me all about it."
Doris slowly lifted her hand and cheerfully followed the nurse out the [[door.|ending]]"Tea" Doris thought as her past worries drifted away into a foggy blur.
"Everyone knows how to make tea, but the secret is to put a little honey
in" she said with a new found smile on her face. The nurse happily
shared the smile as he held out his hand and said, "come on then, lets go
make some tea".
Doris slowly lifted her hand and cheerfully followed the nurse out the [[door.|ending]]"Biscuits" Doris thought as her past worries drifted away into a foggy blur.
"Do you have custard creams? everyone likes those" she said with a new found
smile on her face. The nurse happily shared the smile as he held out his
hand and said, "of course we do. Come on, let’s sort out the biscuits."
Doris slowly lifted her hand and cheerfully followed the nurse out the [[door.|ending]]"Charlie Chaplin" Doris thought as her past worries drifted away into a
foggy blur. "Isn’t he a handsome man" she said with a new found smile on
her face. The nurse happily shared the smile as he held out his hand and
said, "come on, let’s go on a walk and you can tell me all about it."
Doris slowly lifted her hand and cheerfully followed the nurse out the [[door.|ending]]