The last time I posted about Mom was in April, you can read the
previous posts here.
There’s not much to add except that her decline has been slow and steady. She no longer sleeps all day…she’s back to sleeping at night but she does take a nap after the noon meal, which is the biggest meal of the day. She has a good appetite and has gained a little weight but looking at her face breaks my heart. It’s her blank look…I wonder where she is and I know that sometimes when I visit she’s just not there. I can’t connect, at least that’s how I feel. Maybe I am connecting with her on another level…I don’t know.
Santa was very kind, notice how he’s touching her. I don’t think she was aware of what was going on.
Her face says it here, she looks frightened.
When we moved off to the side and I explained to her that it was Santa, she got it….her face speaks for her.
She got a few small gifts and this pretty afghan which I think she liked. Everyone in the nursing home got a gift from the staff, I thought that was nice.
I can say that I am reasonably happy with her care there. There were a few small issues which are now resolved. You have to speak up for your loved one, be their advocate if they can’t speak for themselves. At my last care conference I had to face the reality that Mom has slipped into the end stages of Alzheimer’s. We will be using hospice to help care for her soon. She has periods when she is so mean and tries to kick people and she scolded me for touching her hair! That is just not my Mom.
The social worker is a young man who has lots of personal experience with Alzheimer’s and gently explained the stages and how the disease progresses. It’s very sad…….
But anyhow, there it is, an update on Mom. I’m amazed that I get asked about her so much in email and recently got this;
I have been wanting to write you.
Thank you. Your words comfort me on days when I feel alone. I recently moved my mother into my home. She is in the beginning stages and to say it gets frustrating (for both of us) is an understatement. My mother was a nurse so she understands some days what the future holds and it scares her. What a cruel disease this is... My brother was killed when we were children. My mother forgets one moment from the next, but everyday recalls the day she buried her son.
Thank you, Debra. You are not alone. You have touched the life of a woman in NJ.
It’s been about 4 years that I’ve been dealing with this and I still feel blessed to be able to help another by sharing my experience. My heart goes out to everyone who has an aging parent or a parent suffering from dementia. If you are a caregiver PLEASE remember to care for yourself.
Let your loved ones know that you love them and try to focus on what Christmas really means. Take great comfort in that because that’s all you can do.
This is what greets you as you come in the front door. Red and lime! I love that combination. Little lime hats were $10. less 20%, so 8.00.
Giant glass ornaments on the staircase were over 2 feet long..yes glass!
On this natural themed tree, the glass ornaments looked like birch bark.
Red! My favorite this year……it catches my eye everywhere. Do you see the mercury glass apothecary jars on the mantle? I ♥ them.
Lime green again, this time with purple.
