https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it68QbUWVPM
By which I mean the mom I knew. Her body is here, but her "self" is not.
Mrguy and I had really interesting discussions about the idea of self, yesterday. It's mutable over time. Mom's prior "self" cared about manners and how things looked. She hated vulgarity, and made you spend your time on vacation writing postcards to people back home. She hated things about me that even her most respected peers liked...and could not let them go. I did not stack up. Well at least that *last* part hasn't changed!
Now who wins the prize in vulgarity? That would be mom. And while I knew to expect that as part of end-stage Alzheimer's, I did not know that she would also become violent. While we were on vacation last week she was out of control for three full days, physically and verbally tormenting all of the people who care for her. This week is not much better.
Quote of the week from her most beloved caregiver: "She talks all day about how she will find a knife, stab your heart and slice you apart."
There you go. More laughs from the fun factory.
1 comment:
Terrible. I'm so sorry.
Heading to Oakland for a week (just me) to be close to my own mom, who is having some trouble after a mastectomy at age 91. She worries that she's losing her mind, but I think it's pretty good. She's still there.
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