The Lawn mower saga

MaryEllenDaughter

Alzheimers just stinks, and makes simple things so complicated sometimes. My Dad’s riding mower, AKA the tractor, had a factor recall in July. My mother had a company pick it up for the factory warranty repair, which took a long time because they were waiting for a part. Then at the end July my mother was diagnosed with Cancer and we all forgot about the tractor. Then Mom died and well, you know we all had other things on our minds. Except My Dad with Alzheimer’s. He has been obsessed with getting his beloved tractor back. He thinks he’s been swindled. In his grief he totally took it out on the tractor and was mourning its loss. We finally find out where she brought it and paid to get it back. But we are all nervous he will have forgotten how to drive and not be safe etc. So they dropped it off this morning, he looks out the bedroom window and says, “that is not mine, mine is red.” He had a red one like 30 years ago, this Cub Cadet was purchased in 2020 and is yellow. So all afternoon he is mad at me. Throwing shade, telling me he would never own a cub cadet etc. At dinner he goes to get the mail and says, “Gee I need to start that tractor it’s been sitting there since July.” I said the none in the garage? He said yes we have had it a few years, works well.

Got just go with it and just breathe. Do not worry, I have the keys and the parking break is locked. It is in the garage.

JM27

I can so relate to this. My LOWD does the same thing. It’s frustrating at time. This disease is a roller coaster for sure.

harshedbuzz

I'm sorry for the loss of your dear mom.

Many PWD do seem to time travel as their disease progresses. My dad did.

For a time in the middle stages, he seemed to be living in the late 1970s which was a relatively happy time for him teaching with his own kids mostly grown. He used to asked mom what she did with various very 70s clothing she'd long gotten rid of. As he progressed, he accused me of stealing his painting of "the dancing girls". This one really wracked my brain until I recalled a Degas exhibit poster that decorated their first apartment circa 1959.

In your situation, there's no point in reminding him that he owns the Cub Cadet now as it'll only agitate him. One thing that sometimes took the edge off dad's confusion was asking about the object to redirect him. You might say "Yes, you love the red tractor. What's so special about it?"

HB