Just kidding.  All narc moms are the same. 

She had physical therapy today and she was utterly confused.  Normally she's doing exercises and forgets while doing them what she's doing so she'll just stand there and stare at her therapist.  Today, however, she was annoyed, irritated, and confused (all the best ingredients for a doctor's visit) and didn't want to go back, so when I was talking to the receptionist she was up at the counter bothering me about it (normally she just sits on the seats and lets me take care of everything): 



Me: How many appointments does she have left that I need to schedule?

Receptionist: She's been scheduled 6 times, but needs between 8 and 10.  Whichever one you want to do.

Mom: Oh well, then lets save those last four just in case I need them after this.

Me: No, she said you need 8, but you can go to 10.  So I have to schedule at least 2 more, mom.

Receptionist: Okay, how about (insert all the talking back and forth here for making appointments, in which I made 10)

Mom: No, I don't need those last four.  We can save them!

Me: No, you might be able to save 2, but you need at least two more besides this Friday.

Mom: You're not understanding what I am saying!

Me: No, you're not understanding.  You need at least 8.  You were scheduled for 6.  You can have 10, and I did schedule 10, but if we feel we don't need the last two, we can cancel them.

Mom: But I don't need those!  She said, I could go to 8 or 10 more.  Meaning I don't NEED 8 more, I can go if I want to.

Me: *sigh*  No, mom, you HAVE to go 8 times.  You can choose between EIGHT visits, or TEN visits.  Not SIX visits.   Let's sit down.

Mom: But this isn't even helping me.  Why do I need to come back?

Me: If you don't do your exercises at home like the therapist tells you to, you will never ever get better.  Just coming here isn't going to help you much, you have to work at home, too. 

Mom: Meh.  My brain doesn't work like that. 

Me: *sigh*  Well, it's only four more times coming back (actually it was five, but I didn't want to confuse her more) so it's no big deal.  You like your physical therapist and we have fun.  And maybe your insurance will cover more therapy later if you need it.  Just leaving two times open to come back whenever won't help you in the least. 

Therapist comes out to get us. 

After that, she was fine.  She always has fun with her therapist, who is awesome.  But yeah, some days, she gets irritable and confused, and I know more days like that are coming in the future because of her dementia.  Yay.  She wasn't so bad today, but I know worse days are a-coming. 

I am only a part-time caretaker and I am already exhausted!  (after physical therapy we took her to the grocery store, which means a whole lot of carrying groceries and her talking REALLY LOUDLY about how fat this woman was who at her medical testing yesterday.....*sigh*).  Is it nap time yet?