Day Five A Day Out

I spent this day taking care of me. A good breakfast and shopping at a few of my new favorite second hand shops. I bought Mom a pair of capri pants in two sizes smaller than she had been at this time last year. My thinking was that I could use these as a reference to know what size to buy for her. I was excited to go see her today. The day off to escape the stress of this disease was what I had needed to renew myself. She was waiting when I went to pick her up. I signed her out and took her to eat at Ponderosa. She ordered exactly what she wanted and the meal she always orders at this restaurant. I am always amazed at the things she can remember and the things that she cannot remember. She also reminded me that she needed to go to the grocery to get some diet coke.
After dinner I took her home. She loved on her beloved friend Henri. Then she showered and I put her in her new pants that fit perfectly. Two sizes smaller than this time last year. That is also what this disease does. It takes your appetite and your ability to taste. I looked at her frumpy too big shirt and sweater and hit my closet. I found a short sleeve mock turtle neck and a pretty cream sweater that had a little bit of bling. A pair of earrings and fixed up hairdo and a little make up and there stood my slightly stooped Mama. It's funny that as she has aged, Mama has begun to feel like the right endearment for her. All dolled up and we went to the concert on the square. That vacancy in her eyes and the bracelet on her ankle to mark her as a resident of the memory care facility are the only reminders of the road we are now traversing. I don't know if she enjoyed the concert. She clapped and smiled at me when she saw that I was looking at her. She held my hand or arm as we walked and commented that she doesn't get around like she used too. She thanked me for taking her out of "that place". We stopped for diet coke and then went back to the center and her room. She cried for the 20 minutes that I stayed with her. Then I left. I didn't sleep well last night. Yesterday was also my anniversary. Sad times for me.