Irish Music & Dancing

We took our grandson to see mom at the AL community on Saturday, where they had Irish music and dancing in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Our grandson warmed up to both his great grandmother, and the crowd in general over the course of the program. Mom enjoyed the entire program. Actually, it was nice […]

Confabulation 2

Mom left voicemail for an Island neighbor today saying her EEG test results were normal and she was figuring out how to get back to the Island. After doing some research and checking in with my daughter, I’ve decided this is another case of alternative facts on mom’s part. 

Actuality

I cowered in my daughter’s office for a good 45 minutes before joining my mom and a friend of her’s for lunch yesterday. Mom was surprised to see me, and was willing to go to the walk-in clinic. The test result for a UTI was negative, but the doctor, based on empirical evidence, decided to […]

Dread…

Today has every chance of going 1000% wrong. ‘The Freakout Potential’ is high. Mom could have a catastrophic reaction over:      * Being told we’re going to the walk-in clinic to check her out for a UTI, telling us she Certainly Does Not need to pee in a cup!      * Being told/reminded […]

Confabulation

Mom called this evening to tell me Daughter #2 told her the EEG results were looking good, and it’d just be a matter of days before she could return home. This was a surprise as I talked to mom’s Island doctor’s office today, and they were, in that moment, unable to locate the test results. […]

Dipping back in…

This coming Wednesday will be the first time I’ve seen my mom in almost 3 weeks. The first week was by design (a needed break), and the last week and a half has been because I’ve been sick with a sinus/bronchial horror that has had me oscillating between self pity, and wondering how to market […]

Catastrophic Reactions

I learned a new term yesterday: Catastrophic Reactions, defined as ‘highly emotional over-reactions to relatively benign issues.’ This simple, but powerful term, captures SO much of my mother’s irrational behavior. Everything from coming unhinged because she wasn’t handed a paper bag, to snapping at people when they don’t instantly respond to her, to, most recently, […]

February 24, 2017 ~ Flower & Garden Show

Mom and I went to our regional flower and garden show on Friday. I usually attend three of the five days, taking in as many lectures as I can (many of which count for continuing education for my various horticultural certificates & licenses). This year I managed to attend one and a half days. S’ok! […]

Elvis was in the Building!

Elvis and mom, in her purple suede shoes! 

End of Life Relationships

I am so thankful for the relationship I had with my father at the end of his life. It was whole, teenage years being long forgiven on both of our parts. I had learned to listen openly to his thoughts and ideas that, sometimes, were not always like my own, or that I didn’t necessarily […]