madhousewife's Journal

We all knew Mom had been having issues with dementia, but I don't think even I knew how bad it was until this past weekend. When taken out of her comfort zone, she lost it. For the first time I think she realized it herself. It was a little scary, and a lot sad. She was okay at first, but when things got a little confusing it was like something cracled.

We went by train to see my sister and her daughter in Chicago. It was probly too short of a trip, up one day home the next. We were in and out of their apts, and she had a melt down. At first I just thought she was mad, but then she broke down crying that now she knew how her mom felt. I got her settled down and started getting our stuff together for our trip home. She found a small bag of my sisters and started filling it. She packed my sisters pictures, glasses, anything that wasn't nailed down, to help me. We left it and just took our own stuff. Once on the train she calmed down, but was still confused. She didn't know where we were, and kept trying to get off at each stop. We are home now, and she is back to her normal. In familiar surroundings, but now I realize things are worse than I thought.