A Daughter's Journey
The best quality time is simple quality time. In the past, I wanted everything to be perfect. It seemed important to have the right music on the radio, serve the right food on the right dishes or take her to the right ice cream stand. I wanted mom to have fun with me. For some strange reason, I thought all these extraneous details made our time together better. Truthfully, nothing else matters if we can just look at each other and smile.
Comments closedI’ve talked to many caregivers over the years and some have lives they plan to go back to. This is almost a detour in their road. But some wonder with a bit of trepidation what life they will piece together when it’s all over.
Comments closedGenetic testing for Alzheimer’s currently seems to be an incomplete science. For these reasons I’ve never considered genetic testing.
Comments closedI found her that night for a few moments by going into that connection we call love. She was there with me, looking at me and hearing me.
Comments closedAccording to my notes and understanding, mom’s early stage symptoms that I tracked were indicative of stages 2 and 3 of the 7 stage GDS. She progressed through this mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease in less than 1 year.
Comments closedSo I was suddenly getting it. Perhaps this is not a situation to be understood unless a person has lived it and lived it from a place of love rather than obligation. I have met people who simply write the monthly check and “care” from a distance.
Comments closedI would encourage anyone to work at finding that human connection with their loved one with Alzheimer’s. There is a very good chance that the power of touch can be the catalyst to that loving connection.
Comments closedWith one telephone call, I was suddenly in charge of both of my parents. My father was the caregiver for my mother, the early stage Alzheimer’s patient, and they lived together in a single family home. I was 1500 miles away when they left home in an ambulance together but was able to provide end-of-life documents quickly to take over decisions.
Comments closedClearly I’m wrestling with a sense of falling short as my mother’s caregiver. Am I being fair to myself? When I think about all I should do, because I love her, there is no way that I can do everything I expect of myself.
Comments closedI got right down in front of her so she could see my face clearly. No reaction. Nothing sparked a reaction from her. I had so been wishing for recognition.
Comments closedWhen I walked in and found the two of them asleep together, I just broke down in tears and started to revisit my decision to move her to a new memory unit. It had taken me months to make this decision and I had been so certain that it was the right one. Now, looking at mom and how comfortable she was with her friend, I was distraught at the thought of tearing her away from Henry.
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