The time that I took care of my mom can be measured in decades.

And it was over the course of that time I have collected stories I use to keep her alive. Please allow me to share one or two random memories with you now?

If my mom could be compared to any celebrity, I'd say it would be Lucille Ball. Not just for the teased up red hair (back in the 60's it was kept in place by daily shellackings of an aptly named product called "Ozone"- Extra Hold.) but for the very Lucy-esque things she did, things that could have been an episode of the old 'Lucy' TV shows. (Not 'I Love Lucy" but the later shows, in color, with Viv and Mr. Mooney).

My mom went to the corner to mail a letter. At the mailbox, she took out her reading glasses to quickly check the amount of postage. Satisfied she had the correct amount, she opened the mailbox, letter in one hand, glasses in the other and tossed in her glasses. She waited until she thought no one on the street was looking, then opened up the mailbox and reached in, only to get her arm caught in the slot. A mailman came by and chastised her for tampering with US mail. Her arm freed, she was given directions to the post office lost and found. Once there, she realized retrieving her glasses was a lost cause. There was a carton filled with hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses that, you guessed it, had been "mailed".

You can't make this stuff up.

One more? OK. A separate story, that took place years later, but I see a theme developing...

My mom had vertigo and balance problems and after many falls (one that landed her in the hospital with three stitches in her scalp) she finally agreed to use a walker. At age 78 she was concerned it would make her look like and "old lady". She picked out a sleek little number, with a shiny red and black finish, which opened up to a wedge-shape, with three wheels and an attached pouch. She named it "Johnny Walker". Mom struck a pose, leaned on the handlebars and said "So, whaddya think? Do I look like a mailman?"

The more I type here, the more stories fill my head. If interested, I will post others.

Thank you for allowing me to share.

Lucky you, Ms. Liza.Cherish that video.

Like yours- my mom (the same one in the stories above) wouldn't leave the house unless her shoes matched her purse.

My mom had been a portrait photographer. As she aged and her hands became gnarled and stiff from arthritis and shook with "old age tremors' (undiagnosed Parkinsons?) she kept her interest in photography, even as it became more difficult for her to hold anything, let alone a camera. I purchased a small disposable camera she could tinker with when I wasn't there. I usually had my own camera handy. I took lots of pictures of her, especially in the last two years, and she hated all of them.

As she weakened physically and moved from apartment to nursing home, to a larger apartment with 24/7 home care aides, then finally settling in at another nursing home, I took pictures of her that always got the same reaction: "Tear it up! Tear it up! Ugh! I'm old! No one has to know this! Look at that turkey neck!" When she was agreeable to a photo session I became her stylist as well as photographer. When the hair and make-up were just so, I'd usually tie her favorite silk scarf around her "turkey" neck in a stylish bow. "Hide some of these wrinkles, would ya, kid?"

She would pose. Sitting upright in her wheelchair, she'd shift her weight and cop attitude over her left shoulder. Just like she'd had her subjects pose in her photo-portrait days. She'd have me stand on the other side of the room to catch her at a certain angle. Then, I could take the picture.

The last photo she approved was taken 6 years ago.

I went to see her on my birthday-about 6 weeks ago. I brought my camera, and my boyfriend came with me (with my secret hope of getting a snap of mom and me together. The last picture I have with my mom was 15 years old.) That day, Mom was more irritable than usual. She was too busy complaining about how much she hated the nursing home and I was getting too frustrated trying to change the subject to force the issue. Maybe she'll feel like it next visit. She died two weeks later.

My Mom was a proud woman and always dressed up. About 3 yrs ago she & my 3 boys were in their jammies all laying in my oldest bed. It was one of those kodak moments so I grabbed the camera. Mom said don't take that pic-I don't want people to see me like this. I assured Mom it was for our family and not to worry.

Well.....in the process of putting together Mom's memory video I ran across this pic and just had to include it cause it showed how close she & my boys truely were.

As I was watching the memory video at visitation, talking w/Mom's friend I remembered my words "Don't worry Mom, no one will every see it except our family".

Keep the stories coming!!!! They made my day. My mom had false teeth and was always forgetting where she left them. The end came when one morning when i was looking for them she told me they were soaking...yep in the toilet.

quote:

Originally posted by abbbjbcaregiver:
I went to lunch with my best friend and her MIL at Mc Donalds. MIL had just gotten new false teeth. They were bothering her so she took them out, covered them with a paper napkin, gummed the burger and then emptied the whole tray in the trash. You should have seen the mess trying to find them. It was a full trash can and I don't know how but the little buggers went clear to the bottom.

LOL! Baby that reminds me of retainer days! Dang but how DO those things get to the bottom?!

My Mom with her false teeth story...
We go to Tigers our lil hangout diner one day for lunch, salad for her, mayo on the side for the dipping process...loves her carrots so always asks for extras.... her name was Bunny after all She picks a little, bites here and there leaves her favorite for last...starts chompin like a little kid on her stash of carrots...stops for a minute to wipe her mouth and do something, looks up at me and says Deb watcha think of my new look?! LOL! Broadest smile she could manage....missing front tooth sticking through is the tip of her tongue! She starts the snorting laughter we all know so well and out comes the carrot surprise... tooth stuck in the carrot piece she munched off

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bunnys_grl,

I went to lunch with my best friend and her MIL at Mc Donalds. MIL had just gotten new false teeth. They were bothering her so she took them out, covered them with a paper napkin, gummed the burger and then emptied the whole tray in the trash. You should have seen the mess trying to find them. It was a full trash can and I don't know how but the little buggers went clear to the bottom.

You didnt do anything wrong sometimes our filters are working overtime to combat spammers...some of the words they use for instance p*k*r is not allowed we have spoken to the big dog and he is trying to fix this since the registration process is up and running just fine...dont worry itll show up

I did post another short story- (and a goody too) but I apparently said something that set off some filter, and now I have to wait for this to be approved by Eldecare Over-Dogs (?) What did I do wrong?

Stay tuned

Oh PLEASE, WW - keep 'em coming! Sometimes folks only remember the sad stuff, but there is SO MUCH of the other kind of stuff - memorable moments, funny moments, sweet moments - that occur that don't get much airplay.

Bring 'em on and I hope others will chime in with remembrances of their loved ones!

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*...does she look like a mailman!! ROTFLMAO... GOTTA love it!...*

More MORE!!! I always thought my mom reminded me of Lucille Ball in the later shows! But you are killing me here! I want MORE!