How do I start this? Essentially, my mom died on June 21st of 2008. She had been ill with NASH (non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis) for several years and in March things got worse. In fact, it was so fast I don't think any of us were prepared. I was the most realistic, I looked at my mom and saw how ill she really was. Anyhow, she came home from the hospital on the 11th and died the 21st. I was able to work out of their (my parent's) home for those last ten days. I took care of her and even was right next to her when she took her last breath. What more could I ask for?
My parent's were married on September 21, 1957. Can you believe it 50 years? If I would have been my mom I would probably have killed my dad about 49 years ago. No seriously, my parent's adored each other and set a good example for everyone.
Did I mention that because of some family issues my dad has now moved in with me? I went from being a 38 year old single woman who lived alone with my two dogs and two cats to now caring for my dad.
So I went from being a normal daughter to a caregiver to a grieving daughter back to the caregiver! Today, my dad went to the doctor and they tested him for Alzheimer's because of some things that have gone on lately. The doctor decided to put him on Aricept. He is diabetic and I have been helping him watch his sugar. When I got home tonight and went to put his new medicines into his pill box (which used to be my mom's) I found that he had not taken any of his medicines. I took the pills downstairs to him and he insisted that he took them and became angry. He said he wasn't taking them because he had already taken them and I just started sobbing. I am not ready for this!
Where did my life go? When did I become the parent?
