I'm pretty depressed right now because I see that AD is ruining not only my dad's brain, but also my relationship with my mother. If you look at me cross-eyed, I'll cry. So here's something to cheer up anyone who feels as down as I do:

I wanted to give my mom a break from caring for my AD dad, so this past week I drove them and my two kids to northern PA to visit my mom's sister. My aunt is also going through hell because her husband had a stroke last year and he has some aphasia and memory loss as a result.

Even though it's sad watching my dad and my uncle struggle through their days, there were some really bright moments. I spent a lot of time walking around my aunt's farm with my kids and these two confused old men. We were 275 miles from the ocean, but my son (age 8) found lots of seashell fossils in their creek and my daughter (age 2) had a lot of fun playing with some cooking toys she found at my aunt's house. Everybody thought she was really cute as she served us endless plastic meals from her toy kitchen.

All of this excitement was predictably hard on my AD dad, but he coped really well the first day. On the second day we were in the kitchen and my daughter was serving up some more plastic food. She wandered off and none of us paid any attention. All of the sudden my dad burst into the kitchen, waving a plate with a very realistic-looking plastic egg on it and shouting, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THIS? WHAT'S THIS FOR?!!"

My mom and I tried to appease him in our different, but equally ineffective ways, and the situation got really tense and awkward. At that moment, my dear uncle - a man permanently at a loss for words - turned to my dad and said, "Well, geez Bill, I just ate mine. Don't you know anything?"

Everyone laughed, including my dad, and for one sweet moment we all felt normal and happy.

Good to hear you can laugh in the mist of it all. If I didn't make jest of some of mine and Mom's foibles, It would be harder to cope with it all. Peace to you and keep your sense of humor.

E.C.R.
Thanks for sharing! It made me laugh too!

Too cute!! At least she didnt' find a plastic chicken! Then how would your Dad "pluck out" the feathers on it for her to cook it! Treasure the few good moments,,cause they are so fast and fleeting. Peace

Thank goodness for humor and your uncle's and family's ability to laugh. Yes, relish those wonderful moments.