I see so many of you are still here continuing to help each other on that long and winding road.
My lovely mum passed away at the end of last year – not from her Alzheimer’s but from complications following a broken hip. She had hip replacement surgery and woke up not knowing what had happened to her. She couldn’t figure out physio and never did walk again – it was really quite tragic. Until that point she happily lived out her days at the nursing home and became very loved by all the staff there – she remained very chatty with everyone although remembered nothing and recognised no-one!! It was the best thing I could have done for her. Hind sight is a wonderful thing!!
I was blessed to be with her when she passed – my flight had been booked since my previous visit six months earlier and I arrived three weeks before she passed. She just gave up and stopped eating. We think she probably had another stroke that affected her swallowing. She never knew who I was for the last 18 months of her life but was always comfortable in my presence – she used to chat away with me telling me she was at Elspeth’s house for dinner last night!! I took comfort from the fact that I was still part of her world even if she didn’t know who I was when I visited!! Her spirit still knew me!!
She carried her soft toys around the nursing home together with her hymn book right up until she broke her hip – she had about four previous falls but had never broken anything.
So now she is at home with the Lord and at peace and I miss her. I still find myself with tears in my eyes when I see someone who has Alzheimer’s or watch a programme on television or see an advertisement for all Alzheimer medications (you get that in the USA!)
These four years of commuting to Scotland for three months at a time were long and very difficult but I wouldn’t have missed them for anything. I now find myself forgetting all the tough times and remembering the funny stories and good times.
I work for a non profit organization in Hawaii as an assistant to the director – her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a month after I started. So I am now part of her journey – and so it goes on!!!
I send you all my best wishes and appreciate so much the support you gave me at a time I desperately needed it. Bless you all.
Elspeth
My lovely mum passed away at the end of last year – not from her Alzheimer’s but from complications following a broken hip. She had hip replacement surgery and woke up not knowing what had happened to her. She couldn’t figure out physio and never did walk again – it was really quite tragic. Until that point she happily lived out her days at the nursing home and became very loved by all the staff there – she remained very chatty with everyone although remembered nothing and recognised no-one!! It was the best thing I could have done for her. Hind sight is a wonderful thing!!
I was blessed to be with her when she passed – my flight had been booked since my previous visit six months earlier and I arrived three weeks before she passed. She just gave up and stopped eating. We think she probably had another stroke that affected her swallowing. She never knew who I was for the last 18 months of her life but was always comfortable in my presence – she used to chat away with me telling me she was at Elspeth’s house for dinner last night!! I took comfort from the fact that I was still part of her world even if she didn’t know who I was when I visited!! Her spirit still knew me!!
She carried her soft toys around the nursing home together with her hymn book right up until she broke her hip – she had about four previous falls but had never broken anything.
So now she is at home with the Lord and at peace and I miss her. I still find myself with tears in my eyes when I see someone who has Alzheimer’s or watch a programme on television or see an advertisement for all Alzheimer medications (you get that in the USA!)
These four years of commuting to Scotland for three months at a time were long and very difficult but I wouldn’t have missed them for anything. I now find myself forgetting all the tough times and remembering the funny stories and good times.
I work for a non profit organization in Hawaii as an assistant to the director – her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a month after I started. So I am now part of her journey – and so it goes on!!!
I send you all my best wishes and appreciate so much the support you gave me at a time I desperately needed it. Bless you all.
Elspeth
