Caregiver Conversations With My Gramps

There are more caregivers than any of us know, and as the population grows older more caregivers are needed. This post is a compilation of conversations with my gramps before he died. I think it will give you a better idea of the day-to-day needs.

He was told by his Nephrologist to not drive and to get his keys if he could. Not going to happen.

He thought he could replace the glass on the door to the backyard. He thought he had a great job. I stop by late at night and glass was everywhere in the garage.

He had me cancel a doctor’s appointment so he could go to Center Center.

He wanted to talk with hospice himself, no way. There’s no idea what he would say and it would not be reality.

I arrived to find dirty underpants, several with poo, and there were more in the bathtub.

I heard him on the phone asking someone if he thought we were telling the truth.

We were told he had 2-3 weeks to live, they forgot to say old people die faster. We. had a week.

He would not acknowledge he had Chronic Kidney Diseases until the end and refused to get in

One morning he yelled out what did I go to his Cheerios, what are you talking about? I didn’t buy the right flavor.

As the days went by I asked him if he wanted to call his family and friends. He looked so sad. I sit by him while he calls the phone book. Then the house was full of family and friends. I had to set hours for visitation and no smoking. Many of our hillbilly family members showed up and said they would come back and bring a card table to play dominos. I got flaked but I set the rules.

My grandparents were from poverty and WWI, and Gramps continued to live like he had no money. One day I woke up and there are tiny pieces of toilet paper with poop on them.

He never told me he was constipated, he pushed too hard and got a hernia.

Melinda