I have enjoyed reading your stories so much , as I am a nurse in Long term care. Dementia/Alzheimers residents make what I do on a daily basis very rewarding.
Coping with Dementia
In late 2006, my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. We saw the signs of forgetfulness and confusion - but how does someone who has been a registered nurse, who multitasked a zillion things while keeping calm in an emergency ward or delivering a baby, handle losing the very thing on which her life and livelihood most depended: her mind? In the posts that follow, I will try to describe what that journey was like for her, for me, and for the many people around her. My mother passed away on November 29, 2007. Helping her through that was one of the most profound experiences of my life and quite possibly the most important thing I will ever do. In many ways, it was also somewhat controversial and brought up all kinds of ethical questions and decisions I had never before contemplated on such a personal level. Thank you for visiting these pages and sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Responses
By: JONI on June 22, 2008
at 3:02 pm
Joni - Thank you so much for your kind comment. That was just the inspiration I needed to get back into telling my mother’s story. I have found so many people who are dealing with helping a loved one through this disease. I miss my mom so much, it is hard for me to write about it. 7 months later & I still talk to her during the day, and the odd thing is, I usually picture her in her later years, because the disease brought us closer together - she wasn’t crazy with dementia, she was just living in the moment - and it was through the disease that I began to realize what an amazing person she was - and it was through the disease that we both gained better understanding of what really matters. My heroes are the nurses & caregivers - underpaid angels! They made such a difference!
By: blythelight on June 23, 2008
at 6:09 am
