The main reason I went to Adelaide was to see my mother and join with her to celebrate her 98th birthday. It is quite amazing - she has outlived all her siblings, and their spouses. There is no one left of that generation except her and she is in a nursing home - as she has dementia.
I have been unable to find out why she has dementia, but it may be because of high blood pressure. (Note to self - get blood pressure down to "normal" level). It seems it is hereditary. Darn.
Dad did care for her until mid 2010 - but she was a handful and I don't know how he managed. He passed away in July 2011. Sadly Mum did not attend the funeral, and seldom remembers that he has passed on. She often tells us that he has been visiting, or is about to do so. She often tells strange stories and we (her two daughters) find it hard to deal with. If you tell her that she is not telling the truth, she will argue, and if you go along with the story you can find yourself in a conversation that is so confusing! No win here. On good days, though, she can remember quite a bit, and conversation can be very interesting.
She is in a two bed room - but mostly her room mates have been more incapacitated than her, and she often refuses to speak with anyone as she doesn't "know" them. She does join in some of the activities in the home, but is just as likely to refuse to participate.
Her birthday was strange. A small group of family attended - with a cake and wine.
It was a glorious occasion, but she found it difficult to believe that she was 98. She thought about 91!!
When she was 70 years old she started to write her life story. I have what she wrote and hope one day to finish off the story for her - for history's sake.
I have been unable to find out why she has dementia, but it may be because of high blood pressure. (Note to self - get blood pressure down to "normal" level). It seems it is hereditary. Darn.
Dad did care for her until mid 2010 - but she was a handful and I don't know how he managed. He passed away in July 2011. Sadly Mum did not attend the funeral, and seldom remembers that he has passed on. She often tells us that he has been visiting, or is about to do so. She often tells strange stories and we (her two daughters) find it hard to deal with. If you tell her that she is not telling the truth, she will argue, and if you go along with the story you can find yourself in a conversation that is so confusing! No win here. On good days, though, she can remember quite a bit, and conversation can be very interesting.
She is in a two bed room - but mostly her room mates have been more incapacitated than her, and she often refuses to speak with anyone as she doesn't "know" them. She does join in some of the activities in the home, but is just as likely to refuse to participate.
Her birthday was strange. A small group of family attended - with a cake and wine.
It was a glorious occasion, but she found it difficult to believe that she was 98. She thought about 91!!
When she was 70 years old she started to write her life story. I have what she wrote and hope one day to finish off the story for her - for history's sake.
Comments