A couple of weeks ago, I decided to have one of our favorite home videos converted to a DVD to give to my dad and my sister for Christmas. I picked it up last week when it was ready and couldn’t wait to watch it later that night while my husband was at work. “Christmas … Continue reading Watching A Home Video Reminded Me Of What I Have Lost
Tag: mom
Remembering My Two Moms
Yesterday I was at my parents’ house visiting my dad and I went upstairs to get something. Before I started back down the stairs, something made me pause and think about how my sister and I used to sit at the top of the stairs on Christmas morning, squealing with excitement, until my mom said … Continue reading Remembering My Two Moms
Your Loved One Won’t Remember, But You Will
I can’t tell you how many times during my mom’s Alzheimer’s journey I thought to myself, “Why bother? It’s not like she’s going to remember this anyway.” There was a time when I couldn’t even look at my mom without tearing up. Every time I saw her I would have to leave the room to … Continue reading Your Loved One Won’t Remember, But You Will
Sometimes You Have To Paint a Different Picture
After my mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself. All I thought about was what I had lost and what I would never have. All the things my mom and I would no longer be able to do and all the things we would never get the … Continue reading Sometimes You Have To Paint a Different Picture
You Never Know What Someone Is Going Through
Whenever I see a woman out with her mother, I always think to myself, “Lucky!” or, “Must be nice!” If the woman is much older than me, I always think, “What?! How is that fair that she still has her mom, but I don’t have mine?!” It’s not lovely of me, but it’s true. I … Continue reading You Never Know What Someone Is Going Through
Alzheimer’s Took So Much From Us, But I Am Grateful For What It Gave Us
Before my mom had Alzheimer’s, I never had to help her get dressed. I never had to help her use the bathroom. I never had to cut up her food for her so she could eat it. I never had to hold her hand when walking through a crowded room or down the street. I … Continue reading Alzheimer’s Took So Much From Us, But I Am Grateful For What It Gave Us
Nothing Is Worth Embarrassing Your Loved One
Back when I was a caregiver for my mom, one of our favorite things to do was get our hair done and then have lunch at Saladworks. We did this every couple of months and as time went on, it got harder and harder to do. She began having difficulty getting in and out of … Continue reading Nothing Is Worth Embarrassing Your Loved One
The Wake-Up Call I Needed About Being Patient With My Mom
Early on in my mom’s Alzheimer’s, I would pick her up at her house and take her out somewhere. We would mostly go out to lunch or shopping, but sometimes we got our hair done or went to the movies. As much as I enjoyed spending time with my mom, I often found myself frustrated … Continue reading The Wake-Up Call I Needed About Being Patient With My Mom
What My Mom’s Notes Taught Me About Her Love
(The post below was written on June 20, 2020. My mom passed on April 4, 2020.) A while back, I found these notes in the desk at my mom and dad’s house. It looks like my mom wrote them in late 2012, which was just over two years into her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. They are just … Continue reading What My Mom’s Notes Taught Me About Her Love
Interview with Dr. Regina Koepp of the Caring for Aging Parents Show
I had the honor and privilege of being interviewed by Dr. Regina Koepp yesterday for the Caring for Aging Parents Show. In the interview, we talk about the road to my mom’s diagnosis, my struggle as a 25-year-old to accept her diagnosis, the importance of sharing your story, what I’ve learned over the last ten … Continue reading Interview with Dr. Regina Koepp of the Caring for Aging Parents Show