My Mother's Journey With Dementia

Christmas Nutcracker

I went out to lunch with a girlfriend of mine this week.  I was updating her as to what was happening with my mother, and her journey with Dementia.  She mentioned going out shopping, and since it seemed my mother had issues with shopping last year.  We decided maybe we will invite her along to help her this year.

I told my friend about our medicine delivery service that we had setup for her, and it seemed to be working well.  I mentioned that my brother and I were pushing for some home care for her, and had an interview in which my mother refused the service.  We have plans!  I will write about that experience later I promise!

I did get a call this week from her doctor stating that her thyroid levels again are NOT what they need to be.  I'm sure they felt it was her NOT taking the medicine, but since I know she is?  I asked them to look into maybe the medication at this point isn't doing what it needs to do.  I'm planning on calling the Pharmacy on Monday just to be sure they also are NOT getting FULL containers back.  I have seen her take the medicine, but with dementia?  You need to double check everything.

I was speaking to my mother about Christmas this year.  I told her to make a list of her wants or needs.  She - as she has for years now - told me she didn't have any.  She has said that even prior to her diagnoses of dementia.  This is a norm for her.  I think when I go over this week I will bring sales flyers, and she what she comments on!  That has always been my trick!



It was about Christmas time last year that I knew my fears had some substance about her memory.  The grandchildren make Christmas lists, and since her grandchildren are bit older now?  They love their games, and my mother has always LOVED to buy them.  I don't know about most families, but for me a list from people always make my shopping experience easier.  We all make lists in our family.

Ever since my father passed away my mother always invited her local girlfriends over for a quick Christmas Eve lunch.  She knows everyone is busy, and mom always made it quick.  She always enjoyed it.

Last year as usual my mother called to let everyone know the time in which the meal would be on the table Christmas Eve.  I think the confusion started when my sister in law called to mention the time was a conflict for my brother's family.  That isn't an issue at all, but the problem came when she didn't tell anyone else.  Her girlfriends, and my my family all showed up at the time she gave.  My brother's family was 2 hours late.  WELL not late, but you know what I mean!  We didn't know they were given a different schedule!

I noticed when I arrived my mother had already prepared the food for the lunch, but it had been cooling on the stove for some time.  Due to the confusion with my brother's family?  I ended up 'reheating' the food twice, but I have to say it was good anyway!

Lastly, we exchange gifts before everyone leaves.  We all noticed that the gifts from my mother were all wrong.  For example, the title of the game the children requested may have been correct, but the game system wasn't.  I remember my nephew asked for a PlayStation game.  When he opened the package the game title was correct, but it was for Xbox not PlayStation.  My daughter asked for Sims Two book, and received Sims Three.  We also had an agreement with my mother in law, and my mother for that Christmas.  They would help contribute funds towards our new washer and dryer that died prior to Christmas.  We were not expecting anything else, and she ended up giving us gift cards she said due to no Christmas list.

It was right after Christmas that my brother and I started planning.  We knew there was a problem, and that was the first TRUE day we started our journey with my mother who has dementia.