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Old 12-13-2015, 01:56 PM   #9
Jim Sachs
Developer
 
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Join Date: Dec 2000

Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 9,768
My day:
I get up, wolf down some breakfast, answer a few emails, then head over to the care facility to deal with my mother's breakfast. She's in the Independent Living section, but really shouldn't be. Then we head out to the lot, where I've been building my house for the past decade (www.castleonthecheap.blogspot.com). On the way, we stop by Goodwill to look for some used DVDs to keep her entertained for the day. The videos have to be comedies or musicals, because she thinks whatever is on the screen is really happening, and if there's anything with chases or gunfire she keeps wanting to call the police.

So we get to the lot and I leave her in the car for a few minutes while I try to warm up part of the house with electric heaters. Then I get her settled in what will eventually be the living room, start a DVD for her, and try to get a little construction done. I have to work in nearby rooms, because she keeps getting up to look for me, asking where her parents are. I tell her they've been dead over 40 years, and tuck her back into her chair.

AT noon, 3 days a week, a caregiver comes and takes Mom to lunch, hair appointments, etc., which gives me 3 hours to work on the house and regain my sanity. Then it's back to her facility to deal with her dinner. At 6:30 every night there's a movie in their on-site theater, so I tuck her into a seat and hope she can remember how to get back to her room afterward. With the help of some other residents, she usually can.

Then I go home, waive to my wife as she heads off to work (night-shift nurse), eat whatever she left for me, and sit down at the computer to create the Next Big Thing. After about 20 minutes, I awake with my face on the keyboard and drag myself off to bed.

Except for very rare days off, that's how it's been for nearly three years, since my Mom got Alzheimer's. Sure, I dream about doing Kickstarters for lots of different projects. I'd like to add some things to MA, and I've got a Grand-Prize-Winning screenplay which would make an incredible graphic novel, but until my situation changes I simply have no energy left to pursue anything.
Jim Sachs
Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium
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