I'm Kathryn, and I am caregiver to my 92 year old mom.  It`s been a long haul.  We knew something was off with Mom, but our family doctor, who is a wonderful physician, just kept saying, well, you know she`s 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, what do you expect.  Well, we, my sister and I expected a whole lot more.  My sister, who is a nurse, got the name of a wonderful doctor in Peterborough, and luckily we were given a quick appointment and Dr. Ingram diagnosed Mom immediately.  Her diagnosis was confirmed after a CT scan and the normal testing. 

After years and years of Mom being angry and depressed and very spiteful, she was given an antipsychotic drug.  It changed our lives.  She is still pretty crusty, but the basic meanness is gone. 

I have changed the way I am feeling too.  For a long time I was angry, hurt and frustrated with my lot in life.  In my youth I was the "party girl".  Now, at 60, I am caregiver.  I have never married, never had children, and I could run my own life.  Now I am running someone elses' life too, and that's not part of my make up.  I have forgiven Mom and myself of all the nastiness that goes with Mother and daughter relationships.  My job now is to protect her and see to her basic needs.  That's not such a burden.  I have to look after myself in order to look after her. 

This profile is so different from the one I just deleted.  I have changed, as Mom has changed.  I am the parent; no more self pity no more petty finger pointing.  There is a job to do and I'm going to do it to the best of my ability for as long as Mom is in my care. 

As we all know, ALZHEIMERS SUCKS!  But it has become such a widespread disease that everyone has a family member afflicted.  We do our best, that's all we can do.

Happy New Year, belatedly, to all.

Kathryn

PS This is a picture of Mom and her only great grandchild, Liam.  It was taken Dec. 9/09.  Ten minutes later Liam was put down for his nap and was gone for an hour.  Mom had already forgotten the darling boy.  So sad