(The post below was written on May 15, 2020. My mom passed on April 4, 2020.) On this day ten years ago, my mom was not only alive, but we didn’t even know she had Alzheimer’s yet. My husband and I were not even engaged yet, let alone married. We didn’t even own a house … Continue reading Isn’t Life Always Uncertain?
Tag: life
Don’t Let Alzheimer’s Steal All of Your Joy
A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to the beach for a few days. It was a much needed mini-vacay to relax and unwind. I was sitting there on the beach one day, reading a mindless, light book, when it hit me. It had been hours since I thought about my mom and … Continue reading Don’t Let Alzheimer’s Steal All of Your Joy
Forgive Yourself for What You Didn’t Know, When You Didn’t Know It
I opened up my Facebook memories this morning to see pictures from my bridal shower, which was around this time eight years ago. In one of the pictures, I’m sitting in a chair, opening gifts, and my mom is standing behind me, looking absolutely clueless. She was about a year into her Alzheimer’s diagnosis at … Continue reading Forgive Yourself for What You Didn’t Know, When You Didn’t Know It
The Guilt Will Bury You Alive, If You Let It
Guilt. Everyone feels it. Everyone talks about it. Everyone tries their best to avoid it by doing the right thing. But, no one ever tells you that there really is no way around it. Sometimes, no matter how many good things you do, you still find something to feel guilty about. This is especially true … Continue reading The Guilt Will Bury You Alive, If You Let It
The Power of Love
The following is a guest post written and submitted by Jeannine O'Neil. One day, I was listening to music on YouTube and Lady Gaga’s song “The Cure” popped up. I stopped and listened to the words. “If I can't find the cure, I'll I'll fix you with my love No matter what you … Continue reading The Power of Love
Feeling Helpless
As most of you know, I moved away from my parents for my husband’s job about a year ago. The past year has been quite an adjustment for me, as I was used to seeing my mom a few times a week and now I only see her a few times a year. It has … Continue reading Feeling Helpless
A St. Patrick’s Day Lesson
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’m Sorry That My Grief Makes You Uncomfortable
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
What Has Alzheimer’s Taught You?
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?
Two Parallel Lives
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