Visiting Old Age

My brother and I have been handling health issues for our parents all this week. Our Mom has dementia, she has no short term memory and her long term memory varies by day and hour. My Dad needs to be evaluated since he seems to not be able to make decisions which affect life and death let alone everyday decisions.

Last Friday my Dad started to feel ill, he had been to the Dr. the day before for a follow up checkup, but didn’t alert anyone that he didn’t feel well. We keep in touch with them, but if they tell you they are fine when they really aren’t and you are over two hours away, this causes definite problems.

By Sunday my Dad was seriously ill and I could hear it in his voice, he had denied sickness up to this point. My brother (who had been out of town also) and I rushed to our parents house to get Dad to the hospital since he refused to call anyone. He is now recovering from the life threatening infections that he has, I had to bring my Mom home with me which caused her great distress since she has no short term memory. I patiently answered her constant questions-why am I here, where am I, where is Dad, why is Dad in the hospital, what is wrong with him? She didn’t want to go to bed, I would have to gently prod her to please lay down Mom, I think you are tired. She was by my side morning to night, asking, searching, trying to understand her plight while my brother was with Dad.

Mom and Dad were reunited yesterday, I stocked the refrigerator, fed them and made sure of food for the rest of the week, answered questions and encouraged them. My brother will stay with them for a few days, then it will be my turn again. There are so many things that need to be decided, they really are not able to take care of themselves, but think that they are. It breaks my heart to watch my Mom struggle with trying to figure our what she doesn’t know and not know why she doesn’t know. Dad is stubborn and doesn’t want to listen, he only wants to talk non-stop.

So my brother and I are going forward together, slowly dealing with what is, looking for what is ahead and praying for wisdom to make good decisions to take care of Mom and Dad and let them have as much of their lives while we still try to deal with our own.

This is not going to be easy, but we are committed.

On a Different Subject

Do you ever feel like there are so many things going on in your life that they are overwhelming you? Loss of job, death of a family member or of a friend, illness, loneliness, debt, uncertainty and the list goes on. I know as the stock market was free falling today, many of you felt panic.

I talked to my Mom today, she has Alzheimer’s with no short term memory, she can never remember when I come to see her, or if I call her. My brother and I took her to visit my favorite Uncle last weekend; her brother who has days left from lung cancer and she won’t remember. My husband and I have just come thru job loss, financial struggles and uncertainty. I know there is more to come.

We all face daily challenges and fears, but facing them is easier when you take life one day at a time, knowing some of our fears are imagined and will never come to pass. Even more than that is knowing that God is in charge of all things.

You don’t know that God is in charge or you don’t care? He created this world and all that is in it, every person is important and He knows every hair on our heads. He knows us before we are conceived and He knows the day of our death. There are those that don’t believe it, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. God is always on time, sometimes He is just waiting on us to ask Him.

So are you living in fear, or giving thanks for every good thing in your life and trusting God for the rest. It is a battle to remember today is the day, yesterday is gone, and we aren’t promised tomorrow. Give thanks, ask and you will be heard, take time to care for those around you and your problems and fears will not be all you see.

A grateful heart is a happy heart.

Blessings!