Heaven and Hot Fudge Sundaes

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Mom, Ruminations, Smiles

Ah, who doesn’t love a hot fudge sundae? I was out and about this weekend and wanted a treat so I stopped at Dairy Queen and had a hot fudge sundae in Mom’s honor!

Oh how she loved her ice cream, and hot fudge sundaes were her absolute favorite. The last couple of years, I’d take her to DQ, and she would usually end up wearing as much as she managed to eat! But she enjoyed every last bit, always scraping the sides of the dish making sure none of that delicious fudge was left behind. That thought makes me smile. I sure hope Heaven has a 24 hour ice cream stand. ♥

Memorial Day

27 Monday May 2013

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Grieving, Life After Caregiving, Mom, Ruminations, Saying Goodbye

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mom …Memorial Day – a time to remember all who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom. So many young lives lost much, much too soon. May God bless and keep them, and bring peace and comfort to their families.

I remember as a little girl, Memorial Day was also a time to visit the cemetery, bring fresh flowers, and clean up grandma and grandpa’s graves. These days, things are a little different, I guess. Cremation is often chosen as opposed to traditional burial, so those visits to the cemetery are becoming a thing of the past.

Mom’s ashes are still tucked away safely, on a shelf in my bedroom. I imagine they’ll be there awhile. She always talked about wanting to be sprinkled out west, perhaps along the rugged Oregon coastline that she loved so much. I hope the day comes when I feel ready to give her that final gift. Right now, I really can’t even imagine opening that box… Someday, but not yet. Not quite yet.
Hug your loved ones today….

A Visit to Eason House

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by Ann Napoletan in Alzheimers.net, Blogging, Eason House, Grieving, Life After Caregiving, Mom, Saying Goodbye

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I stopped by Eason House yesterday for a visit. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how quiet the place is without Mom there; two of the ladies were sleeping, another was resting in her chair, and the fourth disappeared to her room shortly after I arrived. My mom’s room still sits empty, and I’m not sure if that’s good or bad. It will definitely be strange to see someone else take that space, but maybe it will be a positive change – a sign that life carries on after loss.

While I was there, cute little Nico came in – Mom loved him so much. No matter what kind of day she was having, when she saw that adorable face, she lit up and truly came to life. Well, now almost six months later, Nico is walking – he’s no longer a baby. When I saw him, my mind immediately went to Mom and how she would have been absolutely crazy about those bright, inquisitive toddler eyes and chunky cherub cheeks. Time marches on, doesn’t it? I guess the one constant we can count on in life is change…

That being said… life after Alzheimer’s isn’t for the faint of heart. As I write in my latest Alzheimers.net post, After Alzheimer’s: Facing the Grief, I think I miss Mom more with each passing day… I wonder when the sense of loss and sadness will begin to ease.