Monday "Memories" with My Mom...

       This blog was intended to be about "random" (as my kids would say) parts of my life.  Recently, my mom has become a big part of my days (as indicated in my last post).  However, although I am spending lots of time with her and have a lot to say about my experiences, being a caregiver, and Alzheimer's Disease (AD), I have decided to declare "Monday Memories with My Mom" as a weekly part of my blogging stories so as to balance out my postings.

     Last week, we packed up my mom and took her to my brother and sister-in-law's house so that we could take a vacation* that was planned previous to my mom's fall.  Getting ready involved sorting a week's worth of pills, laundry, packing her clothing and personal items, typing up detailed instructions of her schedule and our contact information, and packing up her walker and a shower bench. 

     I brought my mom to my brother's house last Saturday afternoon to allow her time to adjust to her new surroundings.  The morning and early afternoon are always better as the evening/night time hours often create confusion for my mom.  (In AD this period is known as "sundowning".) 

     While on vacation, I read the book Still Alice by Lisa Genova.  I had heard about it through an AD resource and a friend who had recently read it.  It was a good book and a quick read.  I would recommend it to anyone who has someone with AD in their lives, is an avid reader or just for those who are interested in reading a good book and learning something at the same time.  Although the book is fiction, it's realistic fiction and I found it very relatable.

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She didn't want to become someone people avoided and feared. She wanted to live to hold Anna's baby and know it was her grandchild. She wanted to see Lydia act in something she was proud of. She wanted to see Tom fall in love. She wanted to read every book she could before she could no longer read.  Alice Howland is proud of the life she has worked so hard to build. A Harvard professor, she has a successful husband and three grown children. When Alice begins to grow forgetful at first she just dismisses it, but when she gets lost in her own neighborhood she realizes that something is terribly wrong. Alice finds herself in the rapid downward spiral of Alzheimer's disease. She is only 50 years old. While Alice once placed her worth and identity in her celebrated and respected academic life, now she must re-evaluate her relationship with her husband, her expectations of her children and her ideas about herself and her place in the world.  Losing her yesterdays, her short-term memory hanging on by a couple of frayed threads, she is living in the moment, living for each day. But she is still Alice. Still Alice is as compelling as A Beautiful Mind and as powerful as Ordinary People. You will gain an understanding of those affected by early-onset Alzheimer's and remain moved and inspired long after you have put it down.

      Thankfully, things went well while I was gone once my mom had a couple of days to adjust to her temporary home.  Me and my family greatly appreciated the help!  Thanks Mike and Melissa!

*Happy Vacation Posts Coming Very Soon!