The Calm before the Storm

My Friend, Lisa Moles, has started a little project for caregivers everywhere called One Word Wednesday.  Each Wednesday, Lisa provides us with a one word prompt and we blog about the thoughts that the word brings to mind for us as caregivers.  It is not only interesting it is "releasing". You just write and let go of all the stress that comes with caregiving.

Today's prompt is CALM.

I have been pretty lucky in my caregiving journey with a Mom who suffers from Alzheimer/Dementia disease.  She was diagnosed at 88 years of age.  Mom is now 93 and physically looks and acts like a woman in her 70's.  Mom has not gotten mean or nasty, as is often the case with this disease.  She has not forgotten how to take care of her basic needs.  She still feeds herself, dresses herself, recognizes when she needs to use the bathroom and takes care of that herself, can walk up and down stairs, seldom complains and has a great sense of humor.

True, she asks the same questions every 20 seconds for hours on end.  True, she has no idea what year it is, that her parents and husband are gone to Heaven before her, that her children are grown with children and grandchildren of their own.  True, she has no idea where she lives or with whom she lives.  But that is all minor stuff when you are talking Alzheimer/Dementia disease.

So I often wonder if this is the Calm before the Storm.  I wonder each day when I awaken what this day will bring.  I pray each night that Mom dies before the storm arrives and I have to turn her over to some stranger to take over her care.

And I work at keeping myself Calm by knowing that God has a plan and that He is in charge.  So I Let Go and Let God.  And offer praise of gratitude each day that the Calm remains.