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Breaking The Fast (My Mom’s Alzheimer’s)
Our family has started a one day a week fast. Mom stared at me glumly when I asked if she wanted to participate. I took that as a ‘No’. The rest of us have managed to maintain the fast throughout the festive season.
We are four weeks into the fast and it is the day after this week’s fast.
I awaken and check out what Jesus is saying to me in the gospels today. It’s the Beatitudes and I try not to gloss over the well-worn narrative; “Love your enemies, do good, don’t judge, give,” ya di ya ya ya… Nothing new, I think to myself.
I hear my mom stirring so I put the Bible away and join her with a cheery greeting.
“Good Morning Mom! Are you ready for breakfast?”
“Good morning. Yep!” she responds.
“Well let’s do it then!” Despite increasing loss in her abilities, I continue to have her partake in making her favourite morning meal. It isn’t long before she is biting into the lightly toasted bagel, chomping on turkey bacon and cutting into an egg fried, over medium. She takes a sip of her coffee as I offer her the morning meds.
“How is the coffee?” I ask.
“It’s alright.”
“Alright?!” I am appalled.
