Assisted living...

And so it begins...

Today is the day my mom returns to California, to spend her time relinquishing herself of as many personal items as she can bear to part with. It appears that over the course of the last two weeks, as we've visited assisted/independent living facilities here in our fair city, she has finally come to terms with moving back into our "rainy" environ.

You see, she hates the weather here. Absolutely loathes it, really. She is convinced she is a sufferer of SAD (Sun Affective Disorder?), the condition where she gets depressed unless she has a healthy dose of sun every day. Each and every place we visited, she asked whether she would be allowed to install lamps with vitamin D lights -- of course, we had no detractors.

But she has come to terms, at least it seems, that she must return to Tacoma. While one could argue the point, since three of her children, plus five grandchildren (and 2 spouses), live here, she really is just hoping to reconnect with her family in her later years.

She has spent the last 12 years in California, living near to her eldest child. However, with her husband's passing three years ago (is it really that long?) and her 81st birthday having arrived this year, plus the addition of an Alzheimer's patch to her medical regime, even she can't deny that being closer to the bulk of the family is the best choice.

I am saddened. It's difficult to believe that these are the times we find ourselves in. It's a bit overwhelming to know that in the next few years I will become pretty accustomed to the terminology that surrounds the physical/mental and care tactics for an Alzheimer's patient. I am looking forward, though, to being available for her medical visits. At this time, being long-distance supporters, we are at the mercy of HIPPA (spelling?), where most of the information we get comes from mom. It's impossible to argue with the medications she's being given, or the fact that over the last few years she's undergone more surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer. One doesn't need to speak with the doctor to understand these things.

But that being said, I really want to talk to a doctor. Her doctor. Most of my information comes second and third-hand, from mom, from my sister, from the internet. I want to sit in the room when he/she explains to mom the possibilities for progression, what can we expect, what should we/she do for her. And I know that once this happens, I will be sorry that it's what I wanted. There will be no denying at that point. But doesn't having more and better information allow a person to be more proactive? At least with knowledge in hand, you must make a move. A move can be to "not move." But it's still a choice at that point, an informed choice.

Today's blog is about Alzheimer's, breast cancer, old age, assisted living. But today's blog is also a celebration of sorts. One that speaks of 81 years of real living, of making it to a point in a life where you can say you didn't leave too many stones unturned. My favorite card on the planet is the one that points out that the alternative to having a birthday is to not be here to have it. 81! 81 birthdays! And, no, we're not done yet.

Here's to many more happy ones...

Having made a real effort to keep this blog universal (read that: untraceable), it seems to get more difficult as I go along. I want to talk about my life, the ups, downs, distractions, goals, but in order to feel like I can express all that, I'm going to have to let my guard down. :-)

Things are definitely on an upswing! Work is still as frenetic (possibly more layoffs, meaning more work for those of us left), additonal responsibility coming down the line in a couple more weeks, lots to learn, but though I know I can do it, I'm pretty anxious about it. There will be negativity from some corners of the office, but I'm going to choose to disregard (read that: ignore!) those and concentrate on the tasks at hand.

My mom is getting worse -- even my brother has made mention of the problems she's experiencing -- and I need to get really serious about searching for an assisted living arrangement. I've already started a list and contacted those, but it's time to make actual visits to see where is the best place for her. She needs to be comfortable, happy, but also close enough to all of us that we can visit many times during the week. That's a tall order! I'm sure we'll find something that will work, I just hope it's a really great fit.

School is winding down for my daughter, she's about to complete her elementary school years. As monumental as it is for her, it's even more so for me. This will end 22 years at that school for me -- I know, it's true, I spaced my children out a bit! Elementary schools are great learning grounds for parents and this could definitely be said for me. So much of what has gone on there has helped me to develop into the person I am today. I've learned also from each of the teachers who have taught my children! Sometimes learning positive lessons, sometimes a little negative, but always learning! These people have shaped my children and our lives together and now apart, I'm sure they don't give themselves this much credit. Everyone plays a role in our lives, some more than others, and it's those who fit into the "more" who we'll remember most of all. If I could bring them all together, it would be a great party! :-)

Referencing a last post of mine, I am utterly convinced that the weekly dose of vitamin D that my doctor prescribed has changed my mood, cleared up my eczema, and made me a much, much happier person. It's interesting that while in the middle of a depressed time, it's very hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel or to realize what is really happening. I've spent time with a sibling who has had ongoing issues with mental stability, first called manic depression, now diagnosed as being bipolar, all of which has been treated with various different medications and/or elements. I have known that their condition has been a result of a chemical imbalance, but when it comes to concerns about my health, I totally didn't connect the depression with anything of the same sort for me.

I need to get more serious about my diet! And my exercise plan! Just the (relatively) small addition of a vitamin has made such a difference, think what other changes could make happen. I missed exercising today, but it's the first time in five days I've missed, so I'm feeling pretty good about it. Tomorrow is another day and I plan to fit in a decent walk (3 miles at least) and continue the road to health.

Closing for today, I'm going to try to shorten up my posts but make them more often. When I read other blogs, it's alot easier to keep up with that way! Thanks for your patience as I work through how to do this! Make tomorrow a great day!