First, let me get out there that she is going to be fine in a couple days.

Saturday she started acting very strange.  She was being sluggish and was not really remembering the name of things or would forget what she was doing in the middle of doing it.  I thought the worst, I thought the mom I have known was going to be lost forever.

What a terrifying thing.  I was very upset last night.  And please don’t think for a second I was worried about what it would be like to take care of her, I was worried because I can’t imagine her being here but not being her.  Dementia, to me, is almost the worst thing that can happen to a person.  I am not sure how they feel, but I have seen people with it get very frustrated not being able to remember.  That would upset me the most.  She was having a hard time doing her normal things and that is why I was so upset.

Turns out she had a very bad UTI.  She is getting shots and oral antibiotics to cure the infection.  I instantly felt better when the doctor thought it was that.

There is a lesson I got to learn the “easy” way.  Most people don’t get the freebie their experience is permanent.  If you are a caretaker or if you are your family members closest link you MUST be engaged in their life in such a way that you don’t add so much to the stress of the medical situation with all the other things in life that are going on.

Do you have a power of attorney for them?  Do you know their wishes when it comes to final care.  It’s a lot of little things and trust me I know no one wants to do it, not them and not you – but someone has to know these things.

I love my parents more than anything or anyone else – even if I am not a huggy kissy kinda person!