Pre-Alzheimer’s Memories of Mother

Particular months or seasons may bring to your mind pre-Alzheimer’s memories of your family member.  Enjoy them, write them down, and share them with children and grandchildren.  Let them know someone existed other than the person they last recall.

November brings Mother to mind because her birthday was November 19, and Father’s and her wedding anniversary was November 29.  We celebrated these special days when I was growing up.  When I was an adult and lived away from home, I tried to call and send cards on these occasions. 

I look at their wedding pictures and recall Mother telling about getting married at her family home on Thanksgiving weekend when she had a few days off from teaching school.  She had fall flowers for her wedding and always liked crysanthemums because of those memories.  So now when I see these flowers, I think of her.

For me, healing was better when I let the memories flow rather than repressing them and trying to push those happier times from my mind.  This enabled me to think of the whole person and the lessons Mother taught us throughout her life, even when she was experiencing Alzheimer’s.