• Home
  • Helpful Resources
  • Reading List
  • Recommended Blogs
  • Marilyn’s Legacy: A World Without Alzheimer’s
  • About Me
  • Contact Me

The Long and Winding Road…

~ An Alzheimer's Journey and Beyond

The Long and Winding Road…

Category Archives: Smiles

My best birthday present…

06 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Mom, Smiles

≈ 1 Comment

I walked into Eason House yesterday afternoon to find Mom asleep in the chair. She heard my voice and opened her eyes, so I leaned down to say hello. Next thing that happened – it was one of those moments. 

She fumbled around a bit to get her hand out from under the blanket, reached up, and put it on my cheek, slowly saying, “Aww, I love you” with a big beautiful smile.

Couldn’t ask for more than that. ♥

Then, she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep…

Share this:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

Am I dreaming?

01 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Blogging, Caregivers, Hospice, Inspiration, Mom, Smiles

≈ Leave a comment

It’s funny, in the past month, there have been times where I had to stop and think whether something that happened with Mom was real or I’d dreamt it.

Today, I’m happy to say that all of the pictures above are 100% real. She had a stellar day – a day the likes of which I never thought we’d see again. The weekend was pretty good, too, but today was beyond amazing. I do have to admit that I chickened out of going over after work for fear that she would have lapsed back again. I think if she had been sundowning and agitated in the least, I would have been disappointed. So, I decided to just hang onto everything that Jess and the Eason House gals had shared with me, and hope tomorrow is as good.

We had a really nice visit yesterday. She was very tired, but extremely affectionate and snuggly. I could have easily cuddled with her all day – I love those moments.

Little by little, she has been eating more solid food; the past three days, easily the most she’s had in a month. Still not eating actual meals, but today she had toast, a banana, strawberries, crackers, cheese, cookies, and pretzels, in addition to Ensure. While I was there yesterday, she ate a whole individual cup of chocolate pudding. I had to feed it to her, but when she tasted it, she made her old “mmm, that tastes so good” face. ♥

I shudder to think where we would be right now had hospice been permitted to go forward with Haldol. We may be losing her bit by bit, but there’s no reason to hurry God’s timeframe.

On another note, check out this piece written for Caregivers – it’s all about the beauty of synchronicity. (There is a slight possibility of browser problems, as this post was done pre-techie-intervention, but thus far, issues have been minimal.)

Share this:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...

A day full of smiles…

14 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Mom, Smiles

≈ Leave a comment

Mom’s oldest and dearest friend drove over from Pennsylvania today to spend the day with her. Since it was about eight hours round trip, I was really praying she would find Mom having a relatively good day. And…

Thankfully, my prayer was answered. There was about an hour where she was very restless and almost inconsolable, but the rest of the time, when she was awake, she was in a good place. She smiled more than she has in the past two weeks, and it was encouraging to see her so peacefully content.

I can’t begin to say how nice it was to spend the day with Viv, my second mama. We caught up on each other’s lives and reminisced about all of the good times had in years past. And, like me, I’m sure she wonders what brought us to this point… how this could happen to her best friend, and how wonderful it would be to have some of those old moments back – even if just for a short time.

But alas, it is no longer 1989, we are no longer sitting in her family room on 4th Avenue opening Christmas presents. We are here, in 2012, making the best of what is, because in the grand scheme of things, what other choice is there?

Share this:

  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
Like Loading...
← Older posts
Newer posts →
© Copyright 2025
All Rights Reserved
The Long and Winding Road

Marilyn, BA (before Alzheimer's)

Contributor

Contributor

Recent Posts

  • The Latest Alzheimer’s Research Developments
  • National Caregivers’ Day: February 21, 2025
  • June 7, 2021: A Historic Day
  • UsAgainstAlzheimer’s National Alzheimer’s Summit: Don’t Miss It!
  • Happy 84th Birthday, Mom.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 443 other subscribers

Archives

Blog Directory & Business Pages at OnToplist.com

Blog Stats

  • 144,183 hits

Meta

  • Create account
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com
stats for wordpress

Categories

Popular Posts

  • About Me
  • Thank you!
  • A Special Bond
  • Monday ... on Caregivers
  • Telling the Story
  • Hiding In the Canned Goods Aisle...and Other Stuff
  • Walking a mile in his shoes...
  • CGSN: Focus on YOU!
  • Look for me on VoiceQuilt!
  • Caregiving: Imperfections, Weaknesses, Acceptance, and Forgiveness

Recent Comments

  • Motherhood: Lost and Found, a Memoir of a Mother’s Alzheimer’s | The Long and Winding Road… (alzjourney.com) | Ann Campanella on Motherhood: Lost and Found, a Memoir of a Mother’s Alzheimer’s
  • Betty Trimble on Film Review: Angel’s Perch
  • Carol on Caregiver PTSD: Fact or Fiction?
  • (3) Ritamae Reichardt on When Caring Takes Courage: A MUST HAVE Caregiving Guide
  • Mary Jo George on June 7, 2021: A Historic Day

Pages

  • 2013-2014 News Archive
  • Helpful Resources
  • Latest News & Events
  • Postmaster General Letter – Alzheimer’s Semipostal
  • R E S I S T Resources
  • Reading List
  • Recommended Blogs
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
Coming Soon!
Marilyn's Legacy: A World Without Alzheimer's, Inc.
Stay tuned!!

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Subscribe Subscribed
    • The Long and Winding Road...
    • Join 443 other subscribers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Long and Winding Road...
    • Subscribe Subscribed
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d