More lessons to learn...

I am amazed at how much I am learning about caring for mom, finding my patience, organization, understanding and all the other things that are becoming part of my day-to-day life.

I thought:  mom will love to go places with me
I learned:  mom does better when she stays in one familiar place

I thought:  mom will eat her meals with us
I learned:  "us" means too many distractions for mom which causes her not to eat, so she eats at her "regular times" and just with me. "us" eats later

I thought:  mom would enjoy classic tv shows (MASH, MTM, Any Griffith)
I learned:  shows with plot are too difficult to follow - she likes to watch golf or tennis or the weather channel

I thought:  mom would always remember me
I learned:  I am quickly becoming her "momma" - she knows it's me, but she doesn't get what me means

I thought:  mom would enjoy familiar activities
I learned:  the fear of not being able to remember is a joy-sucker

I thought:  mom would enjoy telling stories from her childhood
I learned:  talking about the past makes her think it IS the past and she gets confused about who is alive and how old she is

I thought:  I could keep up a strict routine
I learned:  Life has other ideas

I thought:  Sophie would always make mom smile and feel special
I learned:  Mom gets so caught up in her quest to figure out what is going on that nothing, not even a big white fluffy dog, will make her smile or relax

I thought:  Herr basic manners and upbringing would always be a part of who mom is
I learned:  getting old is some kind of "get out of jail free" card to belch, toot, moan, growl, clean your dentures at the table, pick your nose and talk about things that no one talks about in public

I thought:  I would find time daily to use this blog to chart, vent, share and remember
I am learning:  15 minutes is better spent taking a shower or a nap!!!