Gone in 60 Seconds

I think that is the name of a movie that I've seen but after this weekend it seems appropriate.

My weekend started off at 5:15pm when I walked into my kitchen to my husband trying to explain to his mom why she couldn't live alone anymore. For those who do not know her, she has a very strong will and in her younger years was very much an independent working woman for most of her life. Losing control is not something she would ever knowingly let happen. This has also been to her demise.

With her current state of mind, for all intense purposes, she has lost all control in so many different ways. Her finances were the first to go and is also a big part of judgment and decision making that is affected by person's diagnosed with FTD. My advice to anyone in this position is to step in and step in often.

Okay, back to the conversation I encountered. My husband was trying to explain to her the current state of her financial situation that has been deeply affected by her poor judgment when it came to managing her money. Here is one example of the conversation:
MIL, asking about her current finances.

My husband's response, "well, you purchased 37 wrinkle removal kits from as seen on TV----all of which remained unopened when we found them three years ago."

MIL, "I didn't buy those."

My husband's response, "well, mother, you may not have intended to buy 37 but with the disease doctor's have told us that it is very common for you to watch TV, see an ad, place an order, see the ad again in a few minutes, and order it again. You can't help it because you don't remember you just ordered it." Shame on the company for not catching it either and just taking her money!

This conversation continued in many different formats while we prepared dinner. We sat down to eat and about 15 minutes later we went in the living room to watch the news. Mind you, it has been no more than 15 minutes since my husband had his conversation with his mom. She turned and looked at my husband and said, "did you sell my house?" This topic had also been discussed and the questions flooded out again.

So many people have taken advantage of her from the lawn mowing guy taking a check written for $500 instead of $50 to her multiple purchases of items from "as seen on TV". These are the things that you can't begin to know about if you are eight hours away and your family member does a good job of hiding it. Not to mention the friends who create a co-dependent circle of cover up-----thinking they are helping. That is the topic for another blog on another day!

Day 47 and things are slowly "GONE IN 60 SECONDS"! Life is good over the hill!