DOUBLE DUTCH AT CAMP BUNYIP 

Post 30 - September 24th 2023

Here in the Bridge at Camp Bunyip I can hear Ruth calling out to me, “Where did you put the tomatos”. Mmmmmmmm, I have no idea, so I answer, “Why would I know where they are” and Ruth would say, “Because you put them away when we got back from the shops this morning”.

Look, ok, on the surface she has a point, I did put the shopping away. But in my defense, just because I put things away does not mean I have any idea now where they might be. In fact, at times like this I often don't even remember going to the shops.

This Lewy Body Dementia journey I am on is certainly challenging. At times it gets the better of my emotions and makes things rather tough and as I have written before, sadly there are times that it is hard to see the lighter side of the silly faux pas I seem to trot out regularly.

In some areas I am doing fine, really, I do not see a lot of change. However, in other aspects of life, it is getting to be a real downer. But both Ruth and I do try to keep things as funny as possible, and I don't mean laugh at the nutter type funny, nah, we just try to have a good laugh when things get odd. That is, not laugh at me but laugh with me.

And for Ruth, that is not easy at present, she is going through her own really tough family conflict and that results in her depression kicking in. She is struggling in her own journey.

Anyhow, with all that happens in and around life we do laugh when we can. I guess, really what else can we do?

So, we push on, laugh when we can, crack a sad when all else fails and sometimes reflect on why we even bother. But, trying to stay ahead of the sads, we just do all we mentally and physically can.

Some days are just tough, on the flip side to that, some days are fine. We get through the harder times and come through in an ok spot.

The journey is very testing, so much so that it has even got to the stage where we have invented our own language to cope in awkward moments. Yeah, you say, blah, blah, blah. Exactly, spot on, how did you guess?

But seriously, blah, blah, blah is a circuit breaker for me and we both embrace the concept of this odd language. When I cannot remember what I am saying, what it is I am trying to think of then I simply say, “Blah, blah, blah” and we both know I have lost my train of thought. Simples. And it provides a good laugh at awkward times.

Ruth has quickly learned this new lingo, if she thinks I'm struggling with thoughts and words, she will just say, “Blah, blah, blah” and awkward situation averted. Ruth understands.

There was a time leading up to this where I would become emotionally upset when I could not find the words needed to have a chat or to continue a chat. I have looked at this thought and issue in previous blog post (Post: 13 and 15).

Seriously, it is/was just crap when the words you were looking for just would not form. I sort of knew what I wanted to say yet speaking was just not possible.

It was sort of scary, well, full on scary because it really did batter the confidence. I was learning the way to avoid a situation like this is/was not to engage in conversation at all, play the safe card. And for those who know me understand that I could talk till next Christmas.

So hey, if I am chatting with you in the future, please accept that blah, blah, blah is a legitimate language and in reply just humor me with your own take on the blah, blah, blah lingo.

Before I get to end this post, just a further little mention of the shopping thought I shared earlier. So, while I do often put the shopping away it is always a lottery when looking for any item. Ruth is organised and has set things out well, you know, a place for everything and everything in its place.

But, oh my, I can really throw the best laid plan out the window. It is funny where some things turn up, some of my places I stash things are pretty darn odd.

And what I am also learning is that if Ruth is looking for something and she says, "John, you know when I came back with such and such from the shops and you put it away, where might you have put it?", When I hear this I would in the past make myself scarce, but now of course I just have to say, 'Blah, blah, blah" and I'm in the clear.

This is the fun side of being on this LBD journey.

Okey dokey, that's all folks, this post is complete. Thanks so much for check-in, appreciate you all for following my journey through my blog. 16,700 views.

Footy, I can't possibly finish a post without a footy comment, so this week it's the AFL Grand Final, Collingwood will take on the rest of Australia, who wins, mmmmmmmmmm ... 

And my JonnyG funny to finish off ...

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah Go Cats ... 👍

Yeah, alright, it's the Lions, really anyone but bloody Collingwood to win the flag in 2023 - blah, blah, blah