Driving back and forth to Michigan allows time to reflect and ponder upon my mother’s dementia. How does it start? My sister-in-law and I chatted about different events we recalled. Like– what about the time when I drove my parents to DC to see my aunt and she wanted to leave the next day? What about the times when she wanted to leave our Thanksgiving dinner within hours of starting it? Were these signs??
Today, when visiting her in the rehab facility, she kept talking about getting the meat out of the oven, specifically the meat loaf. Thursday nights were always meat loaf while growing up. Does the mind go back in time like that?
Many times, I just answer her questions but often it is difficult to stifle the laughter. When she learned that Caden has a girlfriend, her question “Does he know what to do with her?” caused us to howl with laughter.
It is difficult to know if the dementia will hinder her recovery. Last night, she fell off her bed. Michigan recently passed a law against guard rails on medical beds in certain facilities. The crazy thing is that my sister-in-law, a registered nurse expressed concern about her bed last night! Thankfully, she does not have any broken bones, although her shoulder is very painful.
While at their condo today, a resident remarked,” Life is tough”, but I replied, ” But God is still good”. His faithfulness stays constant even though our health fluctuates.
A Journey Worth Remembering 