My mother, who is 88 years old, is living with Alzheimer’s disease. Currently she is in a memory care facility and in hospice care. She is bedridden and doesn’t eat much. She and my brother live in Mississippi, so I have to travel to visit. I will be going this weekend along with my sister. We are lucky. She’s still a genuinely kind person.
For Pádraig Ó Tuama‘s recent poem prompt “Short Poems”, I wrote:
Visiting My Mother in Memory Care
I lean in for her voice. There is only a smile.
This poem is not entirely true. My brother told me that last weekend, she turned to him and said, “You’re looking good.” Southern pleasantries must be one of the last things to go.
On Saturday, my family gathered in River Ranch in Lafayette, LA to join the Walk for Alzheimer’s. My grandson Leo (5) designed our shirts. We had a fun time walking together, visiting, and honoring my mother, my children’s grandmother, my grandchildren’s great grandmother. She will never know we did this, but my heart was full. We made a difference, and we did it together.
Reflections on the Teche 