"I'm not an expert on Alzheimer's disease, but I am an expert on loving someone who has it." – Lauren Dykovitz
My mom went all out for St. Patrick’s Day in 2009. She started planning it weeks ahead of time and invited all of us over to have ham and cabbage that night. I remember thinking how random it all seemed. Sure, we were a bunch of Mc’s, but no one had ever made a big … Continue reading A St. Patrick’s Day Lesson
I’ll never forget the first time my mom looked at me and didn’t know who I was. The mall was ridiculously crowded that day, the way it usually is around Christmas time. We navigated our way through the food court and my mom saved us a table in front of Saladworks. I could see her … Continue reading I’m Sorry That My Grief Makes You Uncomfortable
The following is a guest post written by Jeannine O’Neil on 2/27/19. My mom has been gone for 9 days. She passed away peacefully in her sleep after a 7-year battle with Vascular Dementia. I am sharing my story of healing to hopefully shed light on the other side to those who are currently suffering, … Continue reading There Is Hope For Peace After Loss
What has Alzheimer’s taught me? I’m not even sure where to start. For one thing, Alzheimer’s has taught me that family is everything. When I was in high school and college, all I really cared about was spending time with my friends. I was always so afraid of missing out on something. I’d say that’s … Continue reading What Has Alzheimer’s Taught You?
This morning I went for a nice four-mile run. I changed my route a little bit, as I’m still having fun exploring the different areas around my new home. I ran around a large pond that I’ve driven by several times, but had yet to run in that direction. I saw several sandhill cranes and … Continue reading Two Parallel Lives
I had the best Facetime call with my mom yesterday afternoon. It was an absolute gift. But, it didn’t start out that way. My dad is supposed to have in-home coverage on the weekends, but that has been a real crapshoot, especially recently. You can read my blog post The Problem with Home Health Care … Continue reading Keep Showing Up
My husband and I are currently under contract on a beautiful house here in Florida. For the first time, I am actually excited about living in Florida. Hell, this is the first time in a very long time that I’m actually excited about anything at all. I’m just not a very excitable person. As I’ve … Continue reading A Life Outside of Alzheimer’s
Over the last eight years since my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, I have developed a love-hate relationship with the following question, “How’s your mom?” When my mom was first diagnosed, I didn’t really tell anyone and I never wanted to talk about it. But since only a limited number of people knew anyway, … Continue reading Ask or Don’t Ask?
Welcome to Episode 5 of The Life, Love, and Alzheimer's Podcast! If your loved one has Alzheimer's or dementia, then you know what it's like to grieve the loss of someone who is still living. It is not an actual, physical death, but it is still a death. Here are my real, raw, and deeply … Continue reading Episode 5: Grieving Someone Who Is Still Alive
About a year and a half ago, my dad started using a home health care agency to provide in-home care for my mom. I had been a part-time caregiver for my mom off and on for a few years before I finally admitted to myself and others that I couldn’t handle it anymore. I was … Continue reading The Problem with Home Health Care
