"I'm not an expert on Alzheimer's disease, but I am an expert on loving someone who has it." – Lauren Dykovitz
You’re going to miss this someday. Whatever you’re going through right now. Whatever your biggest challenge is. The thing that drives you absolutely crazy and frustrates you to your core. You’re going to miss it someday. It seems like just yesterday I was driving my mom to the hairdresser or out to go shopping. She … Continue reading Someday You’re Going to Miss What Seems Hard Today
“You’re so strong.” I hear this so often from people and I think the same thing every time. “If they only knew...” If they only knew I cried myself to sleep last night. If they only knew I sobbed into a bowl of cereal for dinner. If they only knew I woke up at the … Continue reading Maybe Strength Is Found in the Dark
A few weeks ago, I was at Old Navy shopping for some new clothes. I had a gift card that had been burning a hole in my wallet for months, so I finally decided to use it. I was about halfway through the women’s section, carrying a huge pile of clothes over my arm, mindlessly … Continue reading Grief Shows Up When You Least Expect It
With this ring... This is my mom’s wedding ring. I saw it sitting on her dresser the last time I went home and it stopped me in my tracks. She hasn’t been able to wear it in years. She would play with it, taking it on and off her finger, and my dad was afraid … Continue reading Alzheimer’s Can’t Take Away Your Love
When I was 12 years old, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was getting ready for basketball practice one night, when I heard her whispering on the phone to my Aunt Diane. It sounded like something was going on, but she was trying to hide it. I asked her what she was talking … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Suffer in Silence
When I tell someone my mom has Alzheimer’s, the first thing they usually ask is, “Does she know who you are?” There was a time when I could confidently answer, “Yes, she does.” People always seemed so relieved to hear that. “Oh, that’s good!” While it was good that my mom still knew who I … Continue reading My Mom Knows Me
For those who don’t already know, I make a gratitude list after every FaceTime call with my mom and dad. I used to dread FaceTiming with them and I would hang up feeling so depressed. It made me not want to FaceTime with them. I would avoid it at all costs. I knew I had … Continue reading Here’s Why You Should Start a Gratitude Journal
When my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I didn’t know that she would eventually stop looking at the camera. Not because she didn’t want her picture taken, but because she had no idea what that meant. I didn’t know that she would have a distant look in her eyes, that she would no longer look … Continue reading Take the Picture
I had a doctor’s appointment the other day and while the nurse was taking my vitals, she told me how much she liked my bracelets. Normally, I would just say thank you, but that day I decided to add that the bracelets are for Alzheimer’s awareness. She told me that her grandmother had Alzheimer’s and … Continue reading The Stories That Bind Us
They say to write what you know. I know the pain of losing a parent to Alzheimer’s. I know the pain of grieving the loss of someone you love before they even die. I know the pain of losing more and more of your mom every day. I know the pain of trying to learn … Continue reading I Know the Pain of Alzheimer’s, But I Also Know the Love
