Monday, November 11, 2013

Perhaps I was Reading

After Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer/Dementia disease but while she still recognized everybody and had long term memory I got a phone call from my Pops.  Pops asked me to come over because Mom was really sick and had been in the bathroom for over an hour.  I was at breakfast with friends when I got this phone call so I excused myself and went to my folks house.  Mom was out of the bathroom but back in bed.  I asked her what was wrong and she said she was really, really sick. I called the doctor and he said to bring her right in.  Pops was in bed, legitimately sick.  I told Mom we were going to the doctor and she had to get dressed. Mom replied she was too sick to go to the doctors.  I got her up and started getting her dressed and she started calling out to my Pops for help saying that I was being mean and hurting her.  I got her dressed and fed, piled her into the car and we headed to the doctors.  While at the doctors office, waiting to see the doc, Mom repeatedly said she was sick and wanted to go home.  After listening to this for 20 minutes, Mom was finally called in to see the doctor.  The doctor came in and asked how she was.  Mom responded that she was fine.  The doctor asked what brought her to see him.  Mom responded that she had no idea and that I had forced her to come.  The doctor looked at me and I explained to him about the phone call from Pops and what had occurred when I got to the house.  Mom promptly said that there was not a thing wrong with her and she had no idea why Pops would call me.  I said he called because he was concerned about her and she said she thought that was just silly for him to call for no reason.  The doctor asked what she was doing in the bathroom all that time.....Mom looked at him and said "Well, perhaps I was reading!"

Now whenever anyone asks anyone in our family what took us so long our standard answer is "Well, perhaps I was reading."



5 comments:

  1. That was my laugh for today....our loved ones with dementia do bring us a good laugh now and then, don't they?

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    1. They sure do. I was reminded of this story because Frank was in the bathroom and after the tenth time Mom asked where he was I responded "perhaps he is reading".

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    2. I used to repeat phases to my mom that she had said to me as a young girl...things like 'nobody promised you a rose garden' and she added a new one towards the end of her life...."be careful what you say to your kids!"

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  2. Great story. I love that you're capturing the fun moments. I find with my mom - it pays to laugh because you can't change it and if the strange new behaviors become sad - it makes the burden heavier. I am looking forward to reading more about your journey with your mom.

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    1. You are so right, Lisa. We have to laugh or we would spend all our time crying and mourning the loss of the person we once knew. Mom will be home March 10th. It flew by for me but I am sure that it crawled by for my brother and his wife. I have enjoyed my time off but I have missed her. It makes me wonder what I am going to do with my life when this phase of it ends.

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