“Life is a journey; photography is thy shepherd.” (Destin Sparks) On my Facebook page I have certain things I do on different days of the week. Mailbag Tuesday. Shaker Wednesday. Sunday morning coming down when I give my Facebook friends a glimps of the world I see outside my window. Friday, I do my best to post smiles all day …
Mom’s New Place
I haven’t talked about Mom for awhile here. Not since I told you we were moving her into The Lantern, a memory care home for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia problems. It’s a very nice facility, bright and open, and the staff are kind and caring. Even so, it’s been a difficult transition. The first week, we were in the …
A Hard Day’s Night at the ER
Here’s Mom about five years ago with a lap full of great grandbabies. She was beginning to have problems with her thinking then, but they were things you just passed off as getting older. Dementia was actually raising its ugly head, but we either didn’t recognize the symptoms or didn’t want to see them. I, for one, never thought Mom …
The Hard Choices of Dementia
When I was a little girl I always wanted to look like my mother. I thought she was the prettiest woman ever. And I wanted to be like her too. Strong. Determined. Smart. Patient. Loving. She was ready to do whatever necessary to take care of her family. She loved us, her three daughters. Mom grew up during the Great …
The Saddest Disease – Dementia
“I want to go home.” That’s my mother’s constant desire these days as her dementia continues to worsen. She’s not talking about heaven as some people might think. She’s quick to say she’s not ready to move up to heaven just yet. Most of the time, the home she’s talking about is her mother’s home where she grew up. This is a …
When the Truth No Longer Matters
This is my beautiful mother at the age she thinks she is now. Or sometimes she thinks she’s younger than this, still a child going to school or one who lives in her parents’ house. She constantly wants to go home because they will be worried about her. Oh, to be able to go home to where confusion didn’t muddle …
The Gifted
The Gifted was released today, July 1. That makes today a good day. July 1 is also my deadline for the book I’m currently writing. That makes today a pressure filled day. July 1 is also my granddaughter’s birthday. That makes it a joyful day. Tonight, still July 1, was also a really hard night for me with Mom, so …
Emergency Rooms and Other Places to Avoid
How many emergency rooms have you been to? I’ve gone to my share. Some with my kids. One whose aim was bad with a tobacco knife and chopped his hand instead of the tobacco stalk. Ended up with a hand specialist after two emergency rooms. Another took a hit to the eye with an elbow in basketball practice and cut …
The Sad Path of Dementia
Every day can bring a blessing or many blessings, but then there are days where the shadows of hard things happening make those blessings more difficult to see. This weekend has been like that. My mother fell on Friday morning. At first we hoped she was only bruised, but as the day went on, it was obvious something bad was wrong. She couldn’t bear …
Angel Sister and Mom
Eveyln on the left, Mom on the right This is my mom and her older sister taken in front of the house where she grew up. I’m guessing Mom is maybe 16 or 17 here. For those of you who have read my book, Angel Sister, here are the two real people that became my characters, Kate and Evangeline. Mom didn’t …