I Bought My Mom Terry Cloth Bibs for Mother’s Day

She loves blue. And flowers. So, I choose two light blue floral bibs for adults in wide width (for extra protection) with a Velcro closure. They look exactly like infant sleeper material—cozy soft. After placing the order, I chastise myself. I should have ordered five. Or ten. Heck, I should plant a whole field of …

A Dementia Triple Play

As I settle in to watch Game 6 of the World Series, Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians, (Go Cubs!) I realize how grateful I am for the excitement and distraction of baseball. I went to Cubs' games as a kid and it's fun to think the curse of the goat has finally been lifted. My …

Mom’s Summer Vacation

What a fantastical interesting summer Mom had. She went on not just one, but two cruises with her dogs and her Aunt Elsie, who is quite overweight. Mom said Elsie was off balancing the ship. We learned that Roger was the captain. (It's interesting that she chose Aunt Elsie to go on a cruise with …

The Daily Calendar

One thing we all know about Alzheimer's is that every moment of every day of every week of every month of every year is overwhelmingly repetitive. You hear the same questions. (Where am I? Who are you? Is my mother alive? What do I do now? Who am I married to? I don't have kids, …

Are you My Mother?

Years ago, when my kids were younger, I read them a book called Are You My Mother? written by P.D. Eastman. It's about a baby bird in search of his mother, whom he has never seen because when he hatched, she was searching for food. He finds a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a …

What’s Your Name Again?

I have a question: If your mother thought you were someone else, would you address her as "Mom?" Confused? Me too. I have two examples. Example 1 My mom is sitting across from me on the sofa at her house. Mom: "So, how's your mother doing?" Me: "Um . . . she's fine." Mom: "What …

Are We Defined by Our Memories?

  I once knew a man who was deaf. He claimed to have zero memories before the age of twenty. (The educational system had somehow neglected him.) He was just out of his teens when a kind soul began teaching him words and sign language. So, as he learned that words were associated with meaning, …

Is Laughter Ever Appropriate?

  One day, several months ago, my mom and I were discussing our names. Specifically her initials: MAD. She said her mother made a mistake in naming her. But, the problem got worse when Mom got married and added an E to the first three, making her initials now MADE. “And you know what that …

Keeping Them/Us Safe/Alive

This has been difficult to write. I've lost some sleep over it. You’ll learn why as you read. Forgive my wordiness. Shortly after my last post, The Glen Campbell special I’ll Be Me aired on CNN. Campbell, as you probably know, was diagnosed with ALZ in 2011. The promo for the documentary reads: “In 2011, …

Just another day at Mom’s

It is a sultry Wednesday afternoon. My daughter and I have driven south to the near north suburbs of Chicago for a visit to my parent’s house and a hair appointment. K is a master stylist with a well-known hair salon. Doing hair has been her fall-back since she hasn’t been able to find a …