Happy 93rd

[mirabile_dictu]

Today is my mother's 93rd birthday. Ninety-three! Imagine everything she's seen and done. She is such an amazing woman, born in terrible poverty with an abusive mother but she not only escaped that, she transformed herself into an entrepreneur, a wonderful mother, and a world traveler. Watching her age has been an honor; I tell her that she's

Comments

[claudia603]

Happy Birthday to your mom!!! Your mom is the same age as my grandmother!!

Thank you for that link about reccing books!! I LOVE this idea!

[mirabile_dictu]

Thank you! My god, I'm so much older than you! Golly.

That rec link is very cool. I have to NOT click it or I end up with a long to-read list. Hope you also enjoy it.

[shirebound]

Watching her age has been an honor; I tell her that she's teaching me how to grow old.

Happy Birthday, mom! What an absolutely lovely and loving relationship you have with her.

I catch myself being (inwardly) impatient with my mom's memory issues, and I so greatly appreciate everything you say in your post. I'm going to read "Seeing a Mother's Alzheimer's..." right now.

*holds out plate for a LARGE slice of that cake*

♥ you and Webster

[mirabile_dictu]

Here's your cake! I have five slices in the freezer.

I think you have it a bit harder than I do because you're with your mom pretty much 24/7. As hard as it is to leave her, it's a blessing. For one thing, her assisted living facility takes care of so much -- laundry, medicine, doctor appointments, etc., and they help her dress and shower, which I could do but would prefer not to. I spend about three hours with her on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and about five on Saturdays, which is a big difference.

Do you have respite care, so you can get away? You need to take care of yourself as much if not more than your mother, you know. *worries about you*

[shirebound]

Thank you, my friend. We're not to the point of me needing respite care, but that time will eventually come. Mom's memory problems are very slowly growing, but not enough yet to be debilitating. I mostly just have moments of sadness, like when she watches a rerun of a TV show she saw a month before and thinks she's seeing it for the first time. I always thought I was very kind and patient, but living with someone with both hearing and memory challenges is showing me that I still have a long way to go in that area. I'm growing, I hope. ♥

[mirabile_dictu]

We are both growing. I think of it as the last thing my mother will teach me. *weeps*

[saki101]

Happy Birthday to your mother and to you and your family for celebrating it so beautifully (and deliciously).

Guidance into growing old is a wonderful thing to have.

[mirabile_dictu]

Thank you so much! I do feel lucky. As the social worker where she lives once said to me, if you have to have dementia, your mother has the right kind. And it's true -- she's so sweet natured.

[snarryfool]

I'm glad your mother had such a lovely birthday with you!

[mirabile_dictu]

Thank you!

[hanarobi]

Oh how wonderful. I am so glad you have this birthday with her. Please rely my birthday wishes.

[mirabile_dictu]

I will do so! She remembers you -- well, she remembers I went to see you and occasionally asks about you. Thank you!