"Moonlit Serenade" Prom 2012

  Skyler went to his Junior prom this year

He asked this sweet girl Maddie.

 They looked so good. What a beautiful date he had.

 His group. 

 The guys.  Those beautiful corsages.

They had dinner at our house. No pictures I had put my back out and it was all I could do to remember the food. It turned out so good. The table was set and music and great friends to make the night a success.
It is hard to believe that he will soon be a senior.

OLD TIMERS is what we call it.

This is what my kids called it when Toms parents had Alzheimer's.

This is not something that a child can understand let alone an adult.

When we took care of Toms parents it was rewarding on so many levels, however so difficult for our children as well as for us. After they both had passed away,  I thought wow I am so grateful that my parents are well and healthy. Little did I know then that my mom would be diagnosed with dementia / Alzheimer's several years later.

This is by far harder on me than taking care of both Toms mom & dad. Maybe because it is my parent and before I could detach myself. The roles have been reversed and it is not easy on me or my kids. Sometime's  I wonder what it is that we must learn or  better yet what I didn't learn the first time around.

I would like to think its what I did learn. I am able to help my dad with the day to day care of her. He does so great with her . I am amazed how well he has learned patience!
I can help him to know whats around the corner or how she will slowly go down hill . Even how her moods will change, no matter what she might throw our way, I have already dealt with it. Somehow this is different though, and I know this because it is my mom.

I would give anything to have some more time with my mom as the woman that I know her to be.  It is so hard to watch the person who raised you and loved you become an unknown as I call it. She looks the same on the outside but the disease is taking over her on the inside.

I am an adult and it is so hard to watch, I often wonder how my children are handling this for the 3rd time around. My only saving grace is that they are older this time and certainly understand better.

So for today I just wish they could find something to make it easier on all that have to deal with this awful disease.

Time is not your friend when it comes to OLD TIMERS...

But OLD TIMERS will not get the best of us this time around.