Telling Stories (My Mom’s Alzheimer’s)
My Mom has passed away due to complication from Alzheimer’s dementia.
It has been surreal. As I surface from this dreamlike state, I am left with the passion to continue telling her story. Some stories make us laugh, some make us cry, others make us wonder why. Alzheimer’s dementia leaves us with a dark and often frightening mix of speculation. It is my hope that these stories will cause us to pay closer attention, question more, and be more fearless in facing the possibilities. “Sue” represents my mom as her reality began to shift. The names and exact details in this story have been changed for privacy but the point remains true. Dementia often starts by attacking the caregiver, showing up as personality changes, half-truths and lies, often with devious undertones:
Sue, a well-dressed elderly woman, retreats to her room, pulls out her cell phone and dials a well-used number. She sighs as the voice of her trusted friend, Mary, says,
“Hello?”
In a low voice, Sue launches into her heartfelt complaints; she is now restricted to her room she explains, she is banned from using the house phone. She is a prisoner in her daughter’s home. Would her friend help?
“But this isn’t making any sense. What exactly is she doing to you?” Mary asks.
