Reading this lesson from a couple years ago, and it’s even more precious to me now as I see Mama changing…
Learning lessons of life and letting it be from my mama…
I went through the normal struggles with Mom’s bath tonight. Then I sat with her and helped her eat her supper while Dad took his shower.
After her meal, Mom looked at one of her story pages. She was only able to read a couple of the words. And she didn’t recognize herself or me or Dad in the photos. I told her, “Mom, that’s a picture of you and me!”
She smiled and said, “Oh, my goodness!”
She didn’t know John 3:16, or name her sibling’s as she usually does. And she only sang a few words of familiar songs I tried to sing with her.
I don’t usually ask her anymore, but for some reason tonight I said, “Do you know who I am?”
She looked right at me and said, “You’re Cheryl, aren’t you?”
Such…
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God's Grace and Life's Challenges 
Thank you for your blog! My grandma is, I don’t know maybe late stage Alzheimers and it’s been so hard.
I’m so sorry about your grandma. It is hard. May God give you and your family grace and strength.
Thank you and I’m so sorry about your mom. May I ask you how old is she and when was she diagnosed?? My grandma just turned 80 on January 7th. I don’t know exactly when she was officially diagnosed, but I do know it was around 2009/2010 when I started noticing she was forgetting things.
Did your mom ever KNOW about her diagnosis??? What I find odd is I guess there are patients out there who are aware of their diagnosis but with my grandma, she always would say ” I do not have AD! I just don’t care to remember some things is all” I’m not sure what stage she’s in, but I’m assuming advance because JUST LIKE YOU HAVE SAID “I say I love you and she has a blank look” and she stopped smiling and laughing.
My grandma has always had long beautiful freshly polished fingernails but she bites them down to bloody nubs so I can’t paint them for her. I question what stage she’s in because she is very quiet and says one word sentences but she still remembers me. And she still talks to me. She has to look into my eyes for a good 30 seconds first before she says my name.
She even said my full name the other day but my maiden and I’ve been married almost 3 years now. I scratched her back yesterday and her eyes popped and she looked at me and said “you scratched my back! That feels good!” I kept scratching and she kept saying “ohhhh yeah that feels good. Go to the middle” it was music to my ears to hear her talking.
She hasn’t done any irrational talking yet, she even said “I remember him vaguely” when I asked her about my husband and my heart exploded when she said the word “vaguely” – I don’t know why! Maybe it’s because it’s sort of a complex word.
She does stick her tongue out at me and flips people off hahahahah I just wanted you to know that you are not alone and I have been reading all your blogs which brings me to tears because what we’re going through is so similar.
Thank you again for sharing your story because it really is helping me prepare for what’s possibly next.
I pray so hard I wake up one morning where they discovered a break through for AD and send my grandma and your mama over to get an shot and they walk out smiling and being their old selves again!!!!!
Thank you for sharing your story, too. It’s a mix of heart-wrenching and heart-warming moments isn’t it? My mother is almost 83. She was diagnosed when she was 75, but showing some symptoms for at least five years before that. It was very obvious she had some kind of dementia by the time she allowed us to bring her to a neurologist.
And yes she did know at least for awhile about her diagnosis. She wouldn’t admit she had memory problems for years. But after her neurologist appointment, we spoke on the phone the next day. I remember so clearly, she said, “Cheryl, I have Alzheimer’s.”
I had wondered if she would remember. So I asked her, “How do you know that you do?”
And she replied, “The doctor told me.” And then she said, “Cheryl, I hope you never get Alzheimer’s.”
And it brings me to tears to think of that now. Because in the midst of that painful time, she was thinking about me instead of herself. Which was so like her.
I pray they discover a cure, too. I know they are having some great success with laser treatments in mice. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if it worked for people too?
But for sure, all those who know Jesus as their Savior, have the certain hope of heaven and restoration for eternity! What a blessing! Meanwhile, I pray God will give you and your family strength and peace and grace for each day. ~Cheryl
Thanks for the kind words 🙂 I’m not sure my G’ma ever actually knew she had it. She started arguing with us that she had just showered when it was 3 days ago and she’d eat and eat like she forgot she just eaten. She’d yell at me for trying to care for her and call me nurse ratchet hahaha She was very difficult to get to the neurologist too!!!!we had to beg and beg. She was super talkative and said the same jokes over and over again but now she does talk but not often. She loves giving kisses and never was like that before so I’m loving that lol thanks again for your blog, I cry with each one. Jes
My mom has become all cuddly too, which wasn’t her way before. so we love that part! But she’s also angry and yelling a lot too, which also wasn’t like her. Thank you for sharing your story and I’m thankful to hear this blog touches you! ~Cheryl