Hello. I’m new and as the title says can not believe how my life has changed. This is a long post so apologies for the rambling but I just needed to talk.
The beginning of 2020 was full of excitement for me. I was about to turn 50 and was going on Special Holiday to celebrate the occasion. We just went for a week at the beginning of February and I had the best time. 3 weeks after being back I was in work and got a phone call from my mum to say she was being taken to hospital with chest pains…thats when my whole world got turned upside down. My mum who is so fit for her age at 77 had a really bad heart attack and also went into heart failure…we nearly lost her. My dad who is 80 and we are getting tested for dementia fell to pieces and I moved in while my mum was in hospital to look after him. I’m married with a teenage son and we all lived between the two houses for awhile. When my mum finally came out of hospital she needed a lot of help, as my dad basically couldn’t help her, I continued to live there. My dad had a memory test and also an MRI scan and we got told the results would be available in 2 weeks…then lockdown happened and everything got put on hold!!! I’m now back at home but go round every day to check on them. I’ve tried to chase my dads results but got told that everyone has been redeployed and my dads results won’t get looked at Until the crisis is over!! My mums heart attack is only being treated by medication as her artery was 100% blocked so a stent could not be fitted. My dads mental health has deteriorated since my mum went into hospital and I’m so stressed as I’m worried sick that due to the stress my dad is giving my mum that she will end up having another heart attack and not make it this time.
If my mum died then my dad would not be able to look after himself and I don’t know what the answer would be and I hope I don’t have to make that decision.
I’m currently furloughed with work which is a blessing as I’m dealing with all this. I’ve literally turned into their carer overnight and I’m their only living child as my brother died over 30
Years ago. So I just feel overwhelmed by it all really. My mum is such a positive person but I think with my dad having more bad days than good just lately it’s going to stress her out and until he gets official diagnosis I know there is not a lot we can do. So Sorry for the long ramble but this is my current situation at the moment.