My Momma. She is our best friend. My sis and I, and later, my daughter, did everything with her. We were in church groups together, went shopping, out to eat, visited a few times a week. My sis, and my brothers and I all live in a very small town, and our houses surrounded our parents house. All our kids grew up literally running over to Amie and Poppas house for snacks, to play games with her or puzzles, or to play in the yard where my Dad has built them a playhouse complete with electricity and a TV! My Mom was the best grandmother to our kids. Babysitting, hosting holidays, baking, ice-cream parties…you name it…they did it with their grandkids.
We noticed changes in our Mom about 8 years ago. She was 71. These changes became more changes and we became aware that she had a bit of dementia. It wasn’t until my Dad went into the hospital that we realized how much it has progressed and how much my Dad was covering for her. When Dad was in the hospital, we made sure she had 3 meals and took care of her. When She was able to be alone for a good part of the day, and she was able to be alone at night. The day Greg and I told her that my Dad had passed away, she cried for a few minutes, then was fine and hasn’t mentioned him since. Her dementia worsen extremely quickly after that and is now labeled to be Alzheimer’s. After about a year and a half, it became evident that she needed more care than we could give her at home, so we found her a new home where she can be mentally stimulated, safe and cared for 24 hours a day. She has settled into her new routine and we are happy with her care there. There are days when we visit that she doesn’t know who we are, and some days we can tell she knows who we are, at times, when she says a little phrase or gesture and we see spark of the old Judy that we know. She is healthy and happy, and that all that matters.
2017 - Our Church's Mother/Daughter Breakfast
Earlier This Year At The Care Center.
My Mommas Comfy Room.
It’s hard dealing with this change, along with losing my Dad. It feels like I lost both of my parents. I jumped right into dealing with my Mom, her finances, selling their home and possessions’ and I feel like I haven’t had a chance to breathe let a lone deal with these changes in my life. I know that many of you have gone through probably the same thing as this, some ever more.
„Life changes fast. Life changes in an instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.“ ~Joan Didion
Your life may change, what matters is what you do after. Looking back, I have been just swallowing it all down with sitting around, my blanket, and junk food to soften the blow.
xoxo
Next up.... Part 3 of the Trifecta, and what to do about it.
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