It's been 5 years since mom passed away from Alzheimer's Disease.
I had been in Illinois helping Lena as she had just given birth to Ezra. When I got the call that mom only had a few days left I couldn't travel as there was a snow storm brewing. Bad weather was everywhere so none of us could get to Michigan to be with her. Only my husband, Doug, was there with her. He held her hand as we each called and he placed the phone next to her ear so we were all able to say, "goodbye". I hope she heard our love for her and our gratitude for her devotion to all of us.
She had hidden the Alzheimer's so well that only the last 5 years of the disease affected the rest of us. At the same time dad had what the doctors referred to as, "old age dementia". He couldn't even help mom to understand what was happening to her, but they were together. Their long marriage and happy family strengthened them through to the end.
Even at the last mom would smile when I would visit. She didn't really know me as her daughter, but she knew I was her constant visitor. I've written her story throughout this blog. I miss her every day. I guess that is the way it is with having had a loving mother. Her tenderness and happy ways have influenced me in my homemaking and family. I hope my children and grandchildren will remember me as fondly as I remember and long for her.
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