The perils of AD and work Zoom

Jeff86

Some days you can’t win for trying.

I start my work day with a Zoom meeting with about 20 colleagues.  I’m generally in listen-only mode, so I attend without starting video or audio.  And usually DW is still in bed when the meeting occurs.  

Yesterday, however, she woke and was ready to rise earlier than usual. So I was multi-tasking, logging in to the Zoom meeting on my laptop and helping her out of bed.  Some mornings when she wakes she is sharp and clear, other days not so much.

This was a not so much day.  I helped her out of bed and led her into the bathroom.  She looked at me, blankly, and said, “What do I do?”  So I said, “You need to pull down your pants, and your underpants, and sit down on the toilet.”

The next thing I heard, from the.computer audio, was, “Jeff, you need to put yourself on mute.”

French

Hi Jeff,

Yes it can be embarrassing, but at least those who don't know what Alzheimer's is now have an idea.  

It's easier for me as my partner is less advanced. During my working day (almost always on zoom), I also have to manage him.
Last month, I had a thesis defence of which I was president. During the presentation, I could always hear my companion, who couldn't use his ipad and the sound at full volume. No problem, I could turn off my microphone. Then there were the questions I had to animate. Phew, I heard him going upstairs for a nap. But I heard him coming back downstairs at the time of the deliberations, and he opened his ipad in the next room, which was full blast, just at the time of the solemn declaration that I had to make to the new doctor. I had difficulty hearing my own voice and obviously concentrating. I said that an ambulance was passing in the street... It was The Lord of the Rings, as usual.

Now he doesn't use his idpad anymore.
Today, I still have a PhD jury chair that starts at 9:00. He leaves at 9:50 for the daycare. There is a bus coming and the drivers knows the house, helps him, checks that the door is closed. It will be during the question part and I hope that it will go well. In any case for the deliberations, he won't be there!

French

A question from my sisters: "You have a house with many rooms, why don't you isolate yourself in one of the rooms upstairs when you have an important meeting? "
They can't imagine. No, I chose the room near the main room and near the exit door to watch the exits.

Even here, often he wonder where I am and comes in the room. Or I ear that he is listening at the door.

Beachfan

Jeff, 

Sorry, not sorry, but I had to smile at your dilemma of Tuesday morning.  Reminded me of the recent airline commercials ("Need to get away?").  Hoping today is better.

And French, I can't imagine how you do what you do when you do it!  I can barely balance my checkbook.  Hooray for all the multi-tasking caregivers out there.  

CStrope

I am lucky that my DH is still in early enough stages that he amuses himself watching tv, or trying to do a word search.  There are usually several times throughout the day that I'm on a zoom call working, and someone in the meeting has a toddler or baby in the background that wants to be "involved"!  

So what's the saying??  "Turn around is fair play".  So instead of a small child needing attention, it's just your LO needing attention.  These work from home times have taught us all to be more tolerant and accepting of the things others have to do in their daily lives. 

Don't sweat the small stuff!  And just be glad you didn't have the video going!!

Ed1937

Beachfan wrote:

Jeff, 

Sorry, not sorry, but I had to smile at your dilemma of Tuesday morning.  Reminded me of the recent airline commercials ("Need to get away?").  Hoping today is better.

That was my first thought too. Hopefully they were understanding of the situation. These things happen more than we know.