It started with little things—things I brushed off as just part of getting older.
She couldn’t find the glasses sitting on top of her head or the car keys tucked inside the pocket of the jacket she was wearing. Then came the refrigerator door left open, the kitchen faucet left running, and other small things that were easy to explain away.
Until they weren’t.
One day, I asked my mom to pick me up in front of Target because I needed a ride home. I waited and waited. Finally, I called her.
“Mom, where are you?”
“I’m at the DMV.”
“Mom, I’m waiting for you at Target.”
She laughed and said,
“Oh, that’s why the parking lot is empty. Where’s Target?”
At the time, it was almost funny. But looking back, it was one of those moments when I began to realize something wasn’t quite right.
Not long after that, she drove to the grocery store. When she came home, she panicked because she couldn’t find the truck keys. She told me she had backtracked everywhere looking for them.
I asked,
“How did you get home?”
“I drove.”
The truck had a push-button start, so I explained that the keys had to be on her or somewhere nearby, or she wouldn’t have been able to drive home. She insisted she didn’t have them.
Eventually, we found the keys—inside one of the grocery bags in the back seat.
Then came the night that changed things.
At 2:00 in the morning, I found her rummaging through the garage. She said she was looking for something, but she really didn’t know what she was looking for.
The next morning, I called her doctor. My mother was diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s five years ago.
We took away the car keys, which wasn’t easy for her—or for us. Losing the ability to drive meant losing a piece of her independence, and it took time for her to adjust.
Over the years, her Alzheimer’s has progressed, although thankfully, her medication seems to have helped slow that progression. Her short-term memory is poor, but memories from long ago can still come through as clearly as if they happened yesterday.
Living with Alzheimer’s isn’t always sad. It isn’t always serious, either.
There are frustrating days. There are challenging days. There are days when you answer the same question over and over again.
But there are also funny moments, beautiful moments, and moments you learn to treasure because you know things are changing.
My mom can challenge me one minute and make me laugh the next.
At the end of the trip, she looked at me and thanked me for taking her to Disneyland.
Thailand. Disneyland.
Not exactly the same place.
But she knew we had gone somewhere. She knew we had done something special together.
And somewhere in that moment, even if she couldn’t remember exactly where we had been, she remembered how it made her feel.
And maybe that’s what matters most.
Alzheimer’s may change memories, but it doesn’t erase the person we love.
This is my story –
Isabel
Social Media Manager
California Seniors Care
September is World Alzheimer’s Month.
For every family walking this journey, cherish the moments, find humor when you can, and make the memories—even when your loved one may not be able to hold onto them forever.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Campbell, CA, please contact the caring staff at California Seniors Care today! (408) 429-8665
California Seniors Care provides exceptional home care in Campbell, San Jose, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Bay Area, and Santa Clara County.
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