How to Find Beauty in the Midst of Mild Dementia
A conversation where love and wisdom triumphs memory loss with my mother
Humor connects souls like nothing else, bonding and sharing is paramount especially with love ones whose memory is affected!! Find that one thing that makes your love one smile and/or chuckle. Each is medicine to the soul!
Conversation with Mother
Mother: Hello.
Me: Hello, Mother!
Mother: I was sleeping.
Me: So early in the morning..
Mother: It’s raining..
Me: You tell me this everyday! Are you sure it’s raining?
Mother: Yeah! It’s raining. (to Caregiver) Isn’t it raining out there?
Caregiver: It will rain later tonight….
Me: Mother, I told you it’s not raining….you tell me this everyday
Mother: It’s raining! (to caregiver) Is it raining outside?
Caregiver: It will rain later tonight….
Me: Mother, you always say this…
Mother: (chuckles.) I thought it was raining..
Me: Open the backdoor so you can if it’s raining..
Mother: (to caregiver.) Is it raining?
Me: Mother, it’s not raining. It’s early, it’s 11:40…still morning…almost lunchtime…
Mother: I got to get up and cook…
Me: You haven’t cooked in a hundred years….
Mother: A hundred years?!
Me: Yes, you don’t cook! Ms. Mary will cook lunch for you soon.
Mother: (chuckling) I’ll cook ..
Me: Cook what?
Mother: I’ll cook something… (chuckling.)
Me: (laughing.) Don’t eat to much. You don’t want to look like a turkey!!
Mother: (Laughing) I’ll look like a turkey with a pouch walking down the street!
Me: (Joking.) People will be laughing at you looking like a turkey for thanksgiving!
Mother: (Laughing with every fiber in her being.)
Me: (Laughing with her). Okay, don’t eat too much and be a turkey. Got to go to a meeting and will call you later!
Mother: Okay, bye…bye!
Me. Tell Ms. Mary I said hello!
Mother: Okay….(to caregiver) she said, “Hello!”
Me: Call you later!! Bye!!
Tomorrow is not promised to none of us and no one knows what the next day holds. Dementia and Alzheimer is affecting so many from 30’s and up, where the memory fades daily especially the short term memory. For the caregivers and the caregiver, find moments to laugh, it will lighten the day to day stress of seeing a love ones’ memory drift away! The soul and spirit will remember what the memory can’t. When the heart speaks, listen because it could be priceless.
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