The stories...
Here, I want to share not only the story of my mother, but the stories that many of us walking the journey of loving someone with dementia will know too well.
If you love someone with dementia, know that here you are loved, and your story is heard, seen, felt, recognized, and cherished.
(To submit your own story, contact me here.)
I didn’t see this coming
“Every day brings its own drama. I am proud of one thing; I am here with her now.”
The Other Wife
“Dad, you know she is the ONLY wife you have ever had, you have only been married once.”
Still makes me laugh
“WHAT, it was YOU! You're knocked up!”
Most days were not funny, but when they were, they were.
50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
“Mom, you drove me to a record store after hearing that song because I loved it so much. You bought me the 45!” I said again with a heavy heart, wanting her to remember a moment that was magical for me.
You are holy.
We were sitting together but she was tired. She leaned over and fell asleep. I found myself wondering about our reversed roles. How many times had I fallen asleep in her lap when I was young?
The fading good moments.
The windows of “good” moments have grown shorter and less frequent. I’ve begun to settle for moments that aren’t bad.
I still get to steal a few quiet moments with her in the afternoon, after lunch. We sit on the couch and I hold her hand.
A different Mother’s Day
She isn't going to know my name when I call her today. She isn't going to understand why I'm saying happy mother's day. I'll do most of the talking, and she won't really follow along. But I know I’ll get to hear a laugh. And in that laugh will be everything I need for now.
Wedding day with dementia
I tried to keep my hopes for mom small on my wedding day… Alzheimers has taken so much of what I knew as my mom away, I didn’t know what to expect.