Your Brain is Not Your Friend



Thursday was Red Flag day.

Two of my mom's friends called me almost sick with worry about my mom. The neighbor said that she'd been acting strange and argumentative to the point of rudeness with some of the other park residents.

Her friend B described one of the phone calls they'd had. B and Husband had just returned from Florida where Mom was just "too busy" to get together. B called and proposed meeting at a restaurant for dinner. Mom didn't answer right away so B thought she was discussing it with Boyfriend. She wasn't though. B heard her talking to the Boyfriend in the background but it wasn't about the restaurant. It was just general chatting. After a while, someone hung the phone up.

All of these folks have had a mom, or brother or someone very close die from Alzheimers. They know what the symptoms are, more than I.

After chatting with J, the neighbor, for a couple of minutes about changes he's seen, he dropped a bombshell. She's said that morning that she won't replace the RV; she's going to pack up and leave. She plans to sell her lot.

The day before, she'd called and asked me to get the title of the RV out of her safe deposit box and send it by overnight mail. It wasn't in the box but I hadn't called her to tell her yet. I was relieved, and more worried because the company has to have it before they'll take the old one. She doesn't know where else it could be.

It sounds like she's lost the ability to handle her finances too. She signed something from the insurance company and mailed it but doesn't know what it was or where she sent it. She can't get her tax information together for the accountant. It's probably about time for me to enact the power of attorney and take over her finances. I was planning to wait until after the next test because a diagnosis might help her understand that she isn't thinking well or clearly. I'm not sure, but she may not realize that her mind will never return to normal.

She's called me three days in a row to ask if I'm coming because the Boyfrriend's waiting to hear. He will still drive her if I don't go, but there's no way I can stay home now. No way at all. It's no wonder I'm stressed. My old friend nausea has returned. I spent most of the summer of 2007 daily and thought that was behind me now. Guess I thought wrong.