I wondered how she would react after my two week absence. The answer was obvious as soon as I entered the nursing home – she knew me. Smiling broadly, she was obviously happy to see me, then muttered something about how bad things were. The two nurses standing nearby gave me a look that said Mom has been a handful lately.
We sat down as we usually do. Knowing what she would say (or, would not say) I asked about the “bad things.” She could not articulate anything, of course – just a few moments of meaningless babble. It didn’t last long, and she soon was happily swatting me in an effort to get me to play.
The nurses verified what I already know – that she often forgets to use her walker. She is getting increasingly wobbly and I know she will fall soon. When she falls, she will break something, and that will mean a hospital. I fear that really will be the end, but it will be a difficult end. Her appetite is better – I know it waxes and wanes. The nurses reported days of increasing confusion. Its the
disease.
After I took this photo, I showed it to her on the back of my camera. I asked “Who is that, Mom?”
She didn’t know.
