First I'd like to take a moment to celebrate my dad's birthday,which was yesterday -June 13.
My dad passed away in 1995 at the age of seventy four. Hi daddy, I do miss you alot and think of you often.
SUMMER OF 2010 (JULY)
Today when I called my mom to share with her that my son Logan took me out to dinner last night for my birthday she said “oh it’s your birthday”. “Yes mom, it was yesterday and you even sung to me Happy Birthday”. “I did she replied”? “Yes mom, anyway how is my favorite mom doing”? Mom answers me with her quick wit “why, do you have another mom?” I laughed out loud and smiled to myself about how sharp her mind is and how and quick she can answer. Ruthie has a real sense of humor, with most of the things she says. I find this so interesting because my mom was not always like that.
This is the same mom who cannot remember her own daughter’s birthday or my age. My age I’m glad she doesn’t remember (I wish I didn’t). Although I broke down and told Ruthie my age and I had her promise not to tell anyone. This is ironic because Ruthie could never remember my age to utter it to anyone. Mom responds that I look very good for my age and asks me what about her? I tell her that she also looks great. Anyway with her words of wisdom, once again she says, that “if you have your health that is all that really matters”. My mom is 25 years older than me and although she suffers from Alzheimer’s and has macular degeneration*, she is doing quite well.
I remind Ruthie about the memoir I am writing about us ,and she asks me to bring it when I visit so she can read it. Ruthie cannot read it because she couldn’t even see it. “Mom I will be coming to see you with Logan in 3 weeks (for a long weekend). Quick trip in and out and she replies “that’s better than not coming at all “!
*Macular Degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults that results in a loss of vision in the center field (the macular) because of damage to the retina. It is major cause of visual impairment in older adults. Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to recognize faces or read, although the peripheral vision remains to allow other activities of daily life.
My Mom's guy friend has macular degeneration and he's 98. He just now is starting to show a little senility. He's been my mom's rock for 7 years since dad's death. He's taking mom's condition hard and is not reaching out to others in his assted living home to make new friends. he stays in his apt and waits until his kids bring him to see Mom. I guess he's the best friend she's ever had and he is absolutely the main thing on her mind all the time, the first thing we talk about when I get there and several times during the visits. She'd much rather see him than me, but then after he leaves, she forgets he's been there, and says she hasn't seen him since he moved away. He only moved from an independent apt to an asstd living in the retirement home less than a mile away from her that she use to live in. She's seen him nuemrous times, but she never remembers it.
ReplyDeleteHis family got him this screen thingy that allows him to put his hands under it and he can make fishing snares? (is that what you call them) and see what he's doing on a screen. You might want to see about one of these if your mom still would read if she could.