For those who weren't able to make it to my reading on November 11th at For the Love of story, here is a clip. My piece was taken from the memoir I am currently writing about my journey as a caregiver to my mother Jinx, who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease in 2014. It was titled, “With a Little Help from my Friends,” and was about the cast of characters I would become in order to take care of my mom. You can't even tell I'm on the verge of catching a cold! Keep on reading for a transcript.
With a Little Help from my Friends
I’m not all ashamed to say, that while taking care of my mother, all political correctness went straight out the window. Once I realized that her Alzheimer’s disease meant she was living in a series of moments, my job became a lot easier and more enjoyable too – by trying to make sure those moments were wonderful for her - even if they weren’t memorable. The fact that mom had no short term memory anymore actually worked in my favor when it came to making her laugh. She didn’t say things like, ‘I’ve heard that joke before.’ Also working to my advantage was that the more childlike she became, the more she laughed.