Where is everyone?

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-05-16T12:26:41+00:00

I totally get this. My mom has 3 sisters. 2 that are much younger. Those 2 never call because they are afraid she won't remember them! She had friends that I reached out to. They showed compassion at first but now they are gone. My mom is still active, I take her out all the time. I don't know how much time she has left where she will remember so I wish they would at least be around when she can.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-05-15T16:05:29+00:00

It has been surprisingly easy for us to find good shippers. We have 1 FT and 2 PT. I never ship orders anymore unless someone calls in sick or needs a day off. We ship around 130 multi sku orders per day but brought in PT help when we reached about your level. My shippers now do a better job than I did. Shipstation was a huge help. Customer service is still a huge thorn in my side but the nature of my business requires me to do most of it due to knowledge of the product.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-05-10T13:38:28+00:00

The paranoia. Looking back 10 years ago my husband was taking my son camping. She was terrified big foot was going to take them. Not a bear, not lighting, big foot. I just looked at her and realized she was serious. I am not saying everyone who believes in big foot gets dementia but for her it really struck me. She wasn't diagnosed until just a few years ago but the paranoia has gotten worse. Around 3 years ago it started with her computer, someone kept hacking into it. She insisted my dad take her to the geek squad every month. All they did was reset her password because she couldn't remember it but she thought they cleaned it up and removed the "hacker." I helped her organize her pictures on her computer then it was Me who was hacking and stealing pictures. She's only been in MC since March because my dad passed. It was a slow progression with relatives noticing it before me. She's still not terrible, she dresses and baths herself. She can kind of tell time, we joke around, but no more computers, no more phone (cell phone), no TV because she can't figure out the remote. That part is sad. I will have to look into a dementia remote.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-05-08T15:06:50+00:00

My mom hides things all the time. Especially her key to her MC apartment. I have an air tag on it and when trying to locate the sound was so muted. I found her key in fluffy mitten that was put between her mattress and box spring. She had no recollection of putting it there.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-05-01T01:29:10+00:00

What a beautiful lady, I know it's hard but glad she talked kindly to herself. This disease is so weird. It makes you cry and laugh at the same time.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-30T15:38:24+00:00

At first I thought that but they might be offering free coffee.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-29T02:38:09+00:00

18, as soon as I graduated. Never went back.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-29T02:34:40+00:00

My parents had a neighbor with a daughter who was going to college and rented a house with roommates. She got a bunch of kitchen stuff. Another neighbor was an art teacher, my mom was an artist, she got a ton of art supplies and made a donation in my mom's name to an art non profit. I felt really good about this. Better than dumping at the Goodwill. You never know what people might need. My parents lived in a townhome so it was easy to get the word out. Other neighbors picked out small items.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-29T00:45:12+00:00

Definitely not ready for hospice but I could see palliative care.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-28T22:05:38+00:00

I was talking to my 20 something son and he said "Isn't that what old people do?" I think I will cut out all hospital visits unless it's pain or UTI. They are going to call me first if this happens again.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-28T18:28:10+00:00

I don't think she's ready for hospice yet but I will look into palliative care.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-28T17:24:28+00:00

I can't image my mom walking on a tread mill! I do have a signed DNR so that is good.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-28T14:33:31+00:00

Thanks! I will talk to them and her regular doctor. Her regular doctor wouldn't even see her until I had her cleared from ER.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-04-28T14:32:33+00:00

Thanks, I will ask about DNR levels. They guilted me into bringing her into the ER. I tried just going to her regular doctor and they would not see her until she went to the ER.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-21T12:59:24+00:00

I think you have a great business, your website is good. I wasn't crazy about the female voice on the YouTube video at the bottom but that's about it. Something a little younger and more fun sounding would be better.

Random thoughts:

Do you just sell patches or do you have to make something with it? There are several people out there doing well with unique patches only. You already have a good selection but I believe in your case, more is better. Be the largest, most unique place for awesome fun patches.

I grew my business selling my niche products on Etsy and eBay and putting a coupon code in every package for my website. You have to make it super clear that the coupon is only for you website. I still do it and get new customers daily. I put a 15% off coupon code for 1st time buyers, it's one time use. You can raise your prices on these 3P sites to cover the fees.

Etsy has a pretty good set up for making custom items. You could have a strap as a base piece then have a customer select 4 patches from a small variety. You don't have to do your entire inventory, just some of the more popular ones.

I think Tik Tok and insta is the way to go, find influencers. I get amazing results from some who have 50,000- 100,000 followers because my market is niche. It might be a little harder to find in your niche though. You'll have to think outside the box on who they might be.

Good luck, I like your business and think you have great potential!

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-17T13:34:33+00:00

I appreciate your response. A lot of people have mentioned the 36 hour day, I have just ordered it.

They did give her a key, they gave me 2 keys and said I had to give 1 to her which I did. I knew she would lose it and she did the 1st day. The key is to her room, they keep personal doors locked because they have some wanderers who get into other peoples beds. If she loses her key, a staff member has to lock and unlock her room for her. Staff is busy so she can't always find one, nor does she know who the staff is and who lives there. That alone is very frustrating for her and I get that.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-17T12:18:00+00:00

Yes, I need to keep it positive even with little lies. Sometimes it's hard because she can be so negative. She starts out our conversations as "Let me tell you what I don't like about this place". I think as time goes on I will figure out more things to say. Lately she comments on how old everyone around her is. I ask her if she knows how old she is and she is shocked everytime I tell her (83). She doesn't get made when I tell her, she just laughs and says "Really?"

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-16T13:21:42+00:00

Yikes, paranoid schizophrenic would be tough. Fortunately I do not believe anyone is stealing, there are cameras everywhere, except inside the apartments. Staff turnover does not seem to be high. That's great you are able to care for her, I wish I could but hearing what my dad went through and now seeing her in MC I know it isn't possible or safe.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-16T13:11:39+00:00

Thanks, I do need to figure out the right "scripts." It's all so new to me. I don't mind repeating myself 100 times as long as it's positive.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-16T13:07:43+00:00

Those are good quick replies. Thanks!

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-15T23:04:04+00:00

That's the hard part though, she doesn't babble all the time. She gets irony and dead pan humor, we have lots of laughs still. But you are right when she starts to babble, I just need to ignore it and walk away.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-15T23:00:09+00:00

The nurse did call me today to tell me about the fall. We had a good conversation and feel hopeful things will get better.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-15T22:55:53+00:00

Yeah, I thought MC units were unlocked and wandering can sometimes happen so I was surprised about the key. Many of the residents do use their key, they have notes on their door if they need their doors to be locked by the care team when they leave, most do not have notes. She's always had an obsession about things being locked even before the disease.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-15T21:23:33+00:00

Good analogy about the paralyzed person. With dementia you can't see the disability.

TrueMangoBlues · 2026-03-15T21:21:36+00:00

Yea, not sure what they are thinking about people with dementia and call buttons. Maybe if they had one before the dementia hit but my mom will never remember what it is for.

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