Visiting Mom
May 23, 2018 at 9:49 am 42 comments
For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 25 May 2018
 |
Photo Credit: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
“Come home while Mom can still recognize you,” my sister wrote. “She’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.”
Mom welcomed me with the kind of hug I’d known as a child. And yet, there was something amiss. She’d start cooking and completely forgot about it. She had also developed the habit of getting up many times at night to check for unlocked doors.
“Promise, you’ll be back soon,” she said as my short visit drew to a close.
“Mom, I promise.”
This time it was I who gave her a hug trying to hide the tears in my eyes.
Entry filed under: Blogroll, friday fictioneers. Tags: 100-word challenge, Alzheimer’s Disease, fiction.
42 Comments Add your own
Leave a comment
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
Musings of a Random Mind 
1.
rochellewisoff | May 23, 2018 at 1:29 pm
Dear Plaridel,
About 5 years ago I suggested to my three sons that they make a special effort to come home for the holidays, saying it might be the last time their grandmother would know them. And so it came true.
Poignant and well told story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
2.
plaridel | May 23, 2018 at 7:05 pm
rochelle:
i didn’t expect it to happen to my mother, but it did. she still lives at home in the philippines with a lived-in caregiver.
3.
Iain Kelly | May 23, 2018 at 1:56 pm
The horror of seeing her slip away piece by piece. Sombre tale.
4.
plaridel | May 23, 2018 at 7:05 pm
iain:
it’s a disease that proves challenging for the afflicted and immediate family.
5.
granonine | May 23, 2018 at 5:25 pm
So sad, so real. Well done.
6.
plaridel | May 23, 2018 at 7:04 pm
linda:
it’s a terrible disease. hopefully, science can find a cure someday.
7.
lisarey1990 | May 23, 2018 at 6:39 pm
So very sad. Well-written.
8.
plaridel | May 23, 2018 at 7:04 pm
lisarey:
it’s a tough situation that nobody wants to be in.
9.
Alicia Jamtaas | May 23, 2018 at 9:01 pm
What a dear story. Alzheimers is a very cruel disease. You captured that well.
10.
plaridel | May 24, 2018 at 11:41 am
alicia:
thank you for reading. much appreciated.
11.
draliman | May 24, 2018 at 12:36 am
Very sad, beautifully written.
12.
plaridel | May 24, 2018 at 11:40 am
draliman:
your comment is much appreciated. thank you
13.
Keith's Ramblings | May 24, 2018 at 1:01 am
A poignant tale sensitively told.
Click to read my FriFic tale
14.
plaridel | May 24, 2018 at 11:40 am
keith:
i appreciate your kind comment. thank you.
15.
pennygadd51 | May 24, 2018 at 1:41 am
That’s so sad. But I’m glad that the son sounds as though he will keep his promise to visit again soon, even if he lives many miles away.
16.
plaridel | May 24, 2018 at 11:40 am
penny:
he should keep his promise like a good son.
17.
Clare Hempstead | May 24, 2018 at 2:56 am
Alzheimer’s is very frightening for the person who suffers with it and so very sad for their loved ones to watch. You portrayed this sensitively.
18.
plaridel | May 24, 2018 at 11:39 am
clare:
i totally agree.
19.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg) | May 24, 2018 at 12:46 pm
I do remember those times… before my mother withered we could do things… we could talk and eat. Now she can hardly say a word,
20.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:47 am
björn:
i’m afraid my mother is nearing that point, too.
21.
subroto | May 24, 2018 at 5:49 pm
We faced this situation before and it can be really hard for the carers. The patients live in another world blissfully unaware. Very well done.
22.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:47 am
subroto:
it’s tough for the loved ones, indeed.
23.
jillyfunnell | May 25, 2018 at 3:40 am
Such a poignant story. The unfinished cookery graphically illustrates it along with the cruel unease about whether the place is locked up.
24.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:47 am
jilly:
one feels helpless seeing a loved one slowly withers like that.
25.
Christine Goodnough | May 25, 2018 at 5:37 am
I agree with the other comments: very well written and poignant tale.
26.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:46 am
christine:
I appreciate your comment very much. thank you.
27.
Liz Young | May 25, 2018 at 9:09 am
My mother has lost her short term memory but apart from that she’s still sharp. Fortunate to be so at 93.
28.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:46 am
liz:
bless your mother. not everybody is that lucky.
29.
Norma | May 25, 2018 at 9:15 am
A very heart touching story, Plaridel.
It’s always sad to see loved ones in such a dire situation specially if they are our parents.
I hope your mom stays in good health.
30.
plaridel | May 25, 2018 at 9:46 am
norma:
she’s doing fine although she has started losing her memory.
31.
Dale | May 26, 2018 at 10:43 am
It is a sad reality for so many of us.
I’m going through it with my mother-in-law.
Beautifully done, Plaridel
32.
plaridel | May 27, 2018 at 4:09 pm
dale:
yes, it’s something i could definitely relate.
33.
Russell Gayer | May 26, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Like so many others, I’ve lived through that experience. It’s a hard thing to accept–our parents have always been so strong. You did a great job telling the story.
34.
plaridel | May 27, 2018 at 4:09 pm
russell:
it’s a situation when one can really feel helpless, wanting to help out but can’t do anything.
35.
Russell Gayer | May 28, 2018 at 7:07 am
That’s so true. Acceptance is hard too.
36.
plaridel | May 29, 2018 at 9:43 am
russell:
sad to say, by any measure, it is.
37.
Inside the Mind of Isadora | May 27, 2018 at 3:01 pm
So sad …. that evil disease ‘Alzheimers’.
Nicely written ….
Isadora 😎
38.
plaridel | May 27, 2018 at 4:08 pm
isadora:
such is life.
39.
Sarah Ann | May 28, 2018 at 10:57 am
So sad – the initial welcoming hug contrasted to the tearful goodbye one.
40.
plaridel | May 29, 2018 at 9:42 am
sarah ann:
it was a painful goodbye for sure.
41.
Dawn M. Miller | May 28, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Sweet story.
42.
plaridel | May 29, 2018 at 9:41 am
dawn:
thanks for the encouraging comment. much appreciated.