Somedays mom will call me first thing, not knowing where she is- or at different times of the day. I think this has a lot to do with the moon cycle. The closer the full moon gets- the more confused she becomes. I know that when she is calling early – she is scared and confused- this is probably the hardest part for me-I can’t imagine what is going through in her mind and the feeling of uncertainty. After I calm her down and reassure her she’s ok and that everyone there knows her – somehow, she has to gather her strength to get dressed and go out the door- into the unknown- and figure out where she is supposed to go and what she is supposed to be doing. I pray that there are people outside her door – close by to assist her so she doesn’t have to struggle very long.
I know that when the sun is shining- she is shining. These are the days she is in the back of my mind-not the front. It’s hard- it’s hard for me to find a balance with my life and this additional responsibility. I have my friends, my family my fun that I continue to enjoy. I never know when I’m going to get a call- the only one I can guarantee is the one at 6:15- it comes when Sundowners is in full force. It’s funny, how quickly you can adapt to change- if you want – I often schedule my evening around her call. But, it’s okay, I’ve always rearrange my life when I need to.
Everyone one of us is different- in all areas of life- how we live, what we think, our symptoms of a sickness- our reaction to medicine- how we respond to help, to love, to stress, to life. No one can tell you how to find your way, we just do the trial and error test and find what works for us.
Faith, Prayer, and a lot of time spent talking to the Angels for guidance- and now, this blog- these are the tools I use- most of them taught to me by Dorothy- to find peace, serenity and understanding.
Again, all you can do is to be there to listen, to agree and just be there, it’s not easy, but If you can find that sweet spot- you will be giving support to someone in need.
Peace & Love,
Cheryl Doreen
Dorothy's Dementia 