A quickie about what was supposed to be a fun weekend with my cousin and her hubby...ending with the highlight: our noon meal Sunday at the nursing home, with their aunt/my mother.
This saga started out on a tough note...it was the weekend of the first of two nor'easters, the one with very heavy winds. So our visitors got seriously delayed...they were coming to us from the south, and both bridges which normally make access to the Delmarva from the south convenient, were closed due to winds between 60 and 80 mph. (The latter being over hurricane force.) When they finally arrived, we had a good time visiting and getting caught up on Saturday afternoon... We even called the local pizza joint to have dinner brought in...nobody wanted to bother with cooking!
Sunday was our pre-planned lunch with Mom at the nursing home - or hotel, as we have to refer to it in front of her. 'Telling it like it is - calling it a nursing home" simply doesn't work well...that brings up the "I want to go live with my mom and dad" issue every time. Never mind the fact that they passed away nearly 50 years ago and the house belongs to someone else now. She simply can't comprehend that.
While our meal happened precisely as planned, and the food at the nursing home was quite good, Mom was definitely not having one of her better days, and wasn't socializing well. She didn't remember her niece or hubby, nor did she remember me. The "not remembering me" part is happening more often lately. Bright side is that she didn't call me her sister's name (her niece's mother.) I have long hair like Mom's sister did. That really would have been awkward for my cousin.
And the next day, Mom stayed in bed through my visit...very unusual.
So she may hav started down that awful "slippery slope" which every Alzheimers victim has ahead of them at some point. And what is at the bottom of the slope is never good... Simply pray (in whatever way/language/religion you wish) that nobody near or dear to you ever has a run-in with dementia...simply a horrible disease.
It was unfortunate that my cousin and her hubby couldn't have stayed longer...we still had some catching up to do. But that can be done the next visit.
More later...
Mandy
Dementia is a terrible way to go. I impacts the patient and the loved ones and friends.
ReplyDeleteI wish your mom well. She is luck to have you as her child.
Pat
Yes, it is...absolutely awful, for the patient and the family. One by one, memories - and functions like walking, eating, etc - disappear. She has been better the past couple days...but one never knows when the issues will recur.
DeleteMandy
Hi Mandy, I'm playing catch-up with blogs. So sorry to hear about your Mom's condition. Hugs. Sue x
ReplyDeleteThanks,Sue...it's been a bit of an anxious time. No wonder Mandy hasn't been able to get "out of the suitcase" in a while.
DeleteI have some plans for later in the spring...if they work out. Time will tell...
Hugs,
Mandy