Sunday, August 31, 2008

Full Circle

It's a beautiful Sunday afternoon following several nights worth of extreme Arizona monsoon thunderstorms which expemplifies the tulmultous developments in my family's lifecycle since my last post. After nearly six years of being the sole caregiver to my parents I hit bottom, total burnout....complete emotional, spiritual and physical breakdown. I have been in a holistic recovery center (The Sundance Center) now for the past month.

Pop has suffered several small TIA's affecting his speech and mental clarity, spent several weeks in Del Webb Hospital's SAGE unit (Support Adaptation Growth Enrichment Program), been diagnosed as having early stages of dementia and is now living at The Freedom Inn in Sun City West in his own studio apartment but not adjusting well to the transition despite the high level of facilities and care he is receiving. Anyway you shape it up, it's still not home.

Mom is still at home with my sister Kathy caring for her following spinal fusion surgery in March and knee replacement surgery last week.

1 comment:

Bob Tell said...

Dementia is a disease that knows no boundaries. It is blind to the categories in which we usually place our fellow human beings. It can occur at the age of 55 or 85. It can happen to Blacks, Whites, Hispanics, Asians, Jews, Christians, Muslims, males and females, rich and poor. It will not spare ex-presidents or ex-prime ministers. It did not spare my mother. Tears are shed by husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters—in fact anyone responsible for the care of a loved one with dementia. By the way, I too am a recognized Wellsphere Blogger. Congratulations on being recognized by that site,
Bob Tell, Author
http://www.dementia-diary.com
http://caregiverchronicle.blogspot.com/