Ugh. I'm so sorry... It's a horrible affliction.

I get the distance thing. My folks were 300 miles away (and dad is by himself there now). I have some property in NH but it's way up north, so not really useful for these circumstances. When mom was sick he put an office in the upstairs of the garage, so I will probably go up for a week here and there and work from his place. Really difficult when there's some distance involved. Only thing I can offer is take care of yourself if you can. Sometimes that's all you can really control.

I'm so sorry... I wish you strength in the hours and days ahead...

I posted above that a member of the family had Alzheimer's for ten years. By the time the disease set in fully, she became the happiest person you ever wanted to see. Just loved going through her day to day guided activities at the center she was in. Really tough to think about someone like that going through assisted suicide. Dementia takes lots of different forms, for sure.

A relative had Alzheimer's for ten years. As her memory went, she became friendlier and nicer than she had ever been when in control of her faculties. She was just happy to go through her day to day guided activities, she just didn't know anyone or remember anything. Kind of tough to say this person should be assisted suicide, but yeah, she was pretty well off and by the time she died last year, the system had drained every penny she had and then some. She had close to a million dollar house that was sold for her care. It was tragic.

Yup. My mom had Lewy Body, but it was so frustrating because the doctors couldn't even give an actual diagnosis. But it was so clear that's what it was - from seeing people in the dark (which started six or seven years before any other symptoms materialized), to the red nose and sniffles, to digestive issues, to confusion that came and went, until things got really bad.

There definitely needs to be more education to the public about all the forms of dementia. It's a horrible, horrible syndrome, and anyone with a family member going through it, it's like a "secret society" where you know what someone else went through if they had it, but society at large has no idea if they haven't known someone affected by it.

My mom died from Lewy Body Dementia in June (well, complications from it). The last couple years were rough for my dad, who was her full time caregiver. He mentioned just last night when we were talking that he would have taken care of her forever, but I have called them every night for the past four years and there were nights I didn't know how much longer he could go on caring for her. At times he said he was desperate and needed help, so my wife and I would try to arrange help for them, and then a day or two later, they'd say they didn't need it. Dad is stubborn, but mom was more so, and she laid down the law that she didn't want people in the house. So they'd get through whatever crisis there was, then be OK for a couple days, and then it would be right back into the terribleness of the disease and they'd barely be holding on. I was grateful when summer came around again because wintertime in NH, closed up in your house caring for a loved one with dementia 24/7 just has to be terrible, no matter how much you love the person. I miss my mom terribly, but I'm so glad for my dad that he didn't have to go through another winter caring for her full time, even though he says now he would have been happy to have done it.

I don't know the psychology of it, but it's obvious that the brain tends to forget the most traumatic events and seeks to minimize how difficult things were when you're going through them.

It's not.

Interesting. I haven't actually been in one. I'll have to stop in next time I'm in town. I thought they were similar to Tractor Supply.

Yep! You're totally right! That explains it!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lowes-claremont

I was there maybe in August? (EDIT: actually, it was the last week in June - I just realized I was there to pick up a suit at Men's Warehouse for my mom's funeral) It seemed super active. The food court was nuts, and the stores seemed busy. My wife had never been and she said it was the busiest mall she had seen in decades, almost like we had stepped back in time.

Maybe it was just the time you went? Or the time we went I guess?

Why do you hate America?

/s

That's really interesting! Did not know that. It's interesting how the two zones are separated as well - with Claremont being on its own in Sullivan, and the other zone in Lebanon consisting of Grafton, Orange, and Windsor counties.

Also kind of puzzling how the median income is just under $41K and we all know what the price of housing is in the same area.
Also didn't know that Claremont has been losing population since the 1970's-80's when I lived there. I always was told it was around 13K so I looked it up - turns out it peaked in the 1980 census at 14,557. Today it's 12,949.

For some reason I thought there was a Lowes nearby, but I see the closest one is in Concord, or Tilton in the other direction. Looks like they're all on the 93 corridor, with Bedford and Gilford being the ends. Seems like it would be worth putting one over by 91 but I'm sure they have their reasons.

Was looking online this weekend to see if any stores were still active in Steeplegate. Most of the corporate stores haven't updated their sites to remove the mall. I joked with my 80yo dad that probably the only thing left would be Spencer's.

I then had to explain to him what Spencer's was. LOL.

Was at the Claremont Walmart over the weekend and couldn't believe how huge it was. I had never had occasion to go inside. I'm kind of shocked that the town can support a Home Depot, a Runnings, a Walmart, a Harbor Freight, and a Tractor Supply. I know they all have their niches, but it seems like a lot of warehouse stores for a couple square miles, especially when Amazon is still a day or two delivery away for all but the largest items.

Exactly. If it's law, then law needs to be changed for special cases. But man, what a line to be crossed if after someone serves their time, someone or some panel can decide to just keep them locked up. I don't know what the answer is.

Oh man... that's (potentially) depressing...

Right. Not understanding this is probably the reason I'll never be wealthy.

Ugh. I remember how desperate I was to get myself, my family, and my folks and in-laws vaccinated. It was like preparing for an SAT and if you missed your opportunity, you knew it was going to be a while before you'd get another. I can totally see having that reaction. Sorry you went through that. The feels were real.

I suppose it's all about the money and what kind of configuration can bring in revenue.

There was a recent article talking about how the interior was being "reconfigured." https://www.concordmonitor.com/steeplegate-mall-concord-nh-45122695

>"Management did recently ultimately make the decision to close its interiors in pursuit of an exciting potential project that would include the space currently leased to in-line tenants,” Jelson Santos, director of operations at Namdar Realty Group, the New York-based firm that owns the mall, said in a statement. “Those with public access will continue to operate as usual while we explore the future of Steeplegate Mall from within. Exactly what is in store for Concord’s largest retail space isn’t clear yet. “Unfortunately, we cannot share more details or specifics at this stage, but we look forward to doing so down the line," Santos wrote."

There are two malls on Long Island near my house that have been announced to be undergoing "reconfiguration" using the same cryptic language. I wonder if these mall owners have come up with some tactic to recoup their investments?

Yeah, my folks got their shots there and said it was bizarre. I got mine at the Javits Center in Manhattan, and my only previous exposure to the site was for the annual New York International Auto Show. Was really freaky and other-worldly seeing it completely reconfigured for COVID vaccine rollouts.

Correct. It was intended as a sad joke. :(

It's not. I just kinda miss it is all. Caption would be relevant for any Black Friday for the last decade or so. :(

100%. Then maybe the folks in Laconia will shut the hell up about having to spread the school funds to districts that don't have the "privilege" of having been founded in areas with ski slopes or lakes with multi-million dollar homes and businesses.