MOTHERS DAY OUTING 2009

MOST OF WHAT I AM SHOWING YOU IS FROM 18 MONTHS AGO...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THIS PICTURE WITH LOEKE.  AS WE GO THRU MOMS JOURNEY, YOU WILL SEE THE CHANGES...

LOEKE HAS BEEN MOMS CAT FOR 10 YEARS.  SHE WILL SIT ANYWHERE ON THE BED..AS LONG AS SHE HAS AT LEAST ONE PAW...ON MOM..ARM..LEG..HEAD!  SHE IS HER CONSTANT COMPANION.  AS TIME GOES ON...MOM HAS FORGOTTEN WHO SHE IS...SAD AS THAT IS..AND WILL SAY ' GET THAT CAT OFF ME'.  LOEKE IGNORS HER..AND SO DO I!!  LOEKE STAYS

BEFORE MOM CAME TO MY HOME IN FEB OF 2010, SHE WAS AT A HOME FOR DEMENTIA..NICE...10 COTTAGES ON A NICE PIECE OF LAND.  6 WOMEN TO A COTTAGE..ALL BY LEVEL OF DEMENTIA...AND LIFE WAS GOOD...I WOULD VISIT EVERY DAY AND TAKE HER FOR A WALK OR EAT LUNCH WITH HER...UNTIL SHE FELL.  SHE DID NOT BREAK HER HIP, SHE BROKE HER FEMOR..BUT THAT DIDN'T CHANGE HER ADDRESS...THE COMPANY CHANGED...THE CARE CHANGED...THEN..I CHANGED MOM!

 HERE IS MOM AT HER 95TH BIRTHDAY PARTY AT HER GRANDSON JOHNNYS HOME...THE DRESS WAS HAND MADE BY MY SISTER IN LAW CAROLYN..FUNNY...WE HAVE GOTTEN HER ' GO TO JESUS ' CLOTHES READY SO MANY TIMES..YET HERE SHE WAS AT HER 95TH BIRTHDAY PARTY IN NEW CLOTHES!

 WE ALSO WOULD TAKE HER TO GER HER HAIR DONE.  SAME HAIR DRESSER FOR OVER 15 YEARS...MOM LOVED LOOKING NICE.  LATELY ITS HARD BECAUSE SHE WONT' SIT UNDER A DRYER..BUT WE TOOK HER LAST MONTH ANYWAY AND SHE DID PRETTY GOOD.  FOR 5 MONTHS WE DID NOT TAKE HER BECAUSE WE WORRIED ABOUT ' POTTY' AND OTHER THINGS..BUT I LOOKED AT HER HAIR ONE DAY AND SAID ' MOM WOULD NEVER EVER GO AROUND LOOKING LIKE THAT'.  SO RHANDA THE CAREGIVER AND I..JUST PUT HER IN THE CAR..AND TOOK HER TO CHARLYNS!!!

 TIME SURE HAS GONE FAST.  THIS IS MOTHERS DAY 2008. WHAT A DIFFERENCE.  SHE WAS WALKING...WEARING HER GLASSES.  SHE DOESN'T WEAR THEM ANYMORE BECAUSE HER EYES ARE SO BAD GLASSES DONT' HELP..NOR CAN WE GET HER TO UNDERSTAND THE EYE CHART AND SIT CORRECTLY.

RIGHT NOW MOM IS SLEEPING.  SHE SLEEPS UNTIL 11...BUT SHE NEVER EVER NAPS DURING THE DAY..ONCE SHE IS UP..SHE IS UP!  THE CASEWORKER WAS AMAZED AT SEEING MOM AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE.  SHE SAYS ALOT OF FAMILIES JUST KEEP THEIR ELDERLY DEMENTIA PARENTS IN BED..ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO DO NOT WALK AT ALL...NOT HERE..  MOM GETS UP!!!  DRESSED!!! AND ON THE PATIO!!!!

AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

DEMENTIA AS A GUEST

THIS IS MOLLIE. LETS SEE I THINK SHE WAS ABOUT 92..COOKING IN THE KITCHEN. MOLLIE LOVED THE KITCHEN. SHE WAS AN EXCELLENT COOK..WORKED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN EUCLID OHIO FOR ABOU 20 YEARS...AND MADE SURE EACH RECIPE HAD ENOUGH MEAT IN IT FOR THE KIDS. NO SCRIMPINGAND..SHE SAID SHE NEVER HAD A PEDICURE...WELL NOW SHE DOES! SHE TALKED AND TALKED THAT DAY..LOVED EVERY MINUTE..ALWAYS SAID THANK YOU...
AND THEN..IT ALL CHANGED. AS YOU WILL SEE AS THIS BLOG CONTINUES DAY TO DAY...MOM IS NOW 95..WILL BE 96 IN AUGUST. THIS IS ABOUT OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER...

DEMENTIA, DEMENTIA..HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL

THE MIND YOU TOOK DOES NOT BELONG TO YOU

TAKE AN ARM. TAKE A LEG ..THAT WOULD BE UNKIND

BUT INSTEAD...YOU ENDED MY LIFE WHEN YOU TOOK MY MIND

AND SO THE JOURNEY BEGINS...