Follow
Share

She looked literally through me, refused my touch, didn’t answer me except to tell me : I don’t want you, I want daddy to bring me home.


I’m still crushed one week later, I try to reason with myself as usual since 6 years, but I can’t help to feel visiting is useless for her and painful for me because since the last 2 months it worsens week after week. I’m exhausted.


All advices are welcome.

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
My mother will be 95 in Jan, suffers from advanced dementia and suddenly, I'm the devil. She spews nastier than usual words at me and has decided everything I say is targeted against her. So while it hurts my feelings, and it DOES hurt my feelings to be treated like garbage, I've decided to take care of MYSELF in this whole mess. My chronic stomach aches and crying jags aren't helping me, and they aren't helping her, so what's the point? I haven't visited her in 10 days, and have no plans to do so any day soon. I'm not calling her either. Last night she called me, heard my voice on the phone, and slammed her phone down hard at that point. When I called her back, she said some horrible things so I told her I'd speak to her when she's in a better mood. If not, no more phone calls for now.

Dementia hurts everybody, not just our mother's. WE suffer too, and yes, their ugly behavior hurts because they're our mother's and we're human! It's a lot easier to say "just shrug it off" when a person is not the recipient of angry, harsh and terrible words from their own mother whom they've been struggling to care for for a very, very long time. No good comes from dementia, no good at all.

I feel your pain,my friend, because I'm feeling it along with you. Every night I pray for God to take my mother Home so she can end her hell on earth now, and mine as well. Take things one day at a time and stay away from the woman as long as that's what she wants. That's my plan as well. Best of luck.
Helpful Answer (10)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Dear Lealonnie1, I feel along with you too. Mom has always had those bouts of paranoia and rejection ( I know too well the slamming angry phone call) but even if it was hard and devastating I’ve always managed to find a manner to relive the link, the memories, the relationship. Not anymore and how I understand you when people said to « shrug it off » to feel they really don’t understand, don’t have to live repeatedly with the harsh pain. I used to say that my intellect understands what’s going on as well as them and even that partial knowledge it’s not easy, but nothing makes my heart to suffer less. Except perhaps the compassion and understanding from other people suffering similar heartache like on this site( thanks God for it!)!

Yes, I too, dare from time to time to ask her Father to bring her Home at last, and I do it with less and less feeling of guilt because that’s what she asks herself now when she cries to God!

I think that I’m learning to let it go, not even asking anymore for our mutual liberation...

Thank you for your understanding: it relieves me from the guilt to not going to see her as often as I used to. It’s so difficult to think of ourselves first, even when we’re suffering the aftermath of breast cancer as I do! I’m sure more vulnerable and less emotionally resistant!

God bless you! Big hug!
(4)
Report
Hello my sweet mother had alzheimer's disease and it was devastating for our family and especially dad as they were high school sweethearts and best friends for over 55 years. It will be soon ten years in February of 2022. He misses her every single day and we talk about her all the time. We were blessed to have her in our lives . I am sorry for what you are going through and for your mom not to know you, mine did not either but she seemed to recognize I was someone she knew and that I loved her. She became like a little girl and I just wanted to take care of her and protect her as she did me when I was a child. I hope you can find some special memories of you and she that you can hang onto and find comfort in during those most awful and hurting times. I will pray for both of you and for God to bless you both and your family.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Thank you, I’ve done what you suggested some months ago but mom is over any kind of memories by now: only one thing counts : her dad bringing her home. Anyone else is irrelevant. I still have so much love for her but that awful Alz is a barrier and my poor mom can’t receive my love anymore: she’s stucked in her own desolate bubble.

I dearly hope that your mom won’t go to that point, not every Alz sufferers live that terrible isolating bubble.

God bless you!
(1)
Report
My mom does not have Alz., but she has 'filter issues' and picks on me to be the scapegoat for everything--b/c I actually visit her regularly, unlike my other 3 sibs--so when I do go visit, it always deteriorates into blaming and shaming.

The trick is to leave before that starts. Good advice to myself, b/c I CAN see the clouds on the horizon and if I can zip out of there, the visits can be not awful.

My mother has spent my whole life playing both sides of the game: if I am of use to her, she is as sweet as can be. If I have 'mucked up' she cannot get over what I've done to her, even though she couches it in ways that are kind of passive aggressive.

It's so sad and I personally fear that I will turn into one of these old people--just checked out and unaware of it.

Death is not the thing we need to fear--it's the loss of self. Yes, some people develop memory issues and not all become mean. However, seems like 'mean' is the norm.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
I sympathize: mom was a bit like that too : spoiled princess who never takes no for an answer and escapes as much responsabilities as she can. Sadly she never believed that she was loved as hard as dad and I tried to showing her, so now with the Alz that’s this sad side that comes forth!

Sometimes I caught myself checking to guess what side I could develop if Alz struck me: the gentle or the nasty one. What an idle thought to entertain so useless and inspired by fear and too much sad experiences with a mom with a broken brain! It is so hard to see other Alz people sweet and smiling compare to my angry mom!

I sympathize with you also because it’s always the faithful one whose been lashed on. The one it is secure to be hard with because they’ll come back anyway. Well sometimes they don’t come back for a while because as Lealonnie said : we’re human, not saints or superhero!

Take care the best you could: here is a good place for understanding and comfort... and it is so much needed! Because nobody takes care of what we call in french « les proches aidants ». We are there for our loved ones, but who are there for us in the health care system?
At least we have each other here!
God bless!
(2)
Report
Mom's alzheimer's was quite severe and she went through to the end stage quickly but also in much pain the week before she passed, We had her on hospice care and that was a blessing to have the help and advice, support for dad and I. Dad did pray for God to take her as it was too much for him to watch her suffer. It was a week I will never forget as I took a emergency leave from my nursing position to be with them and to cherish memories that I knew were her last. She just knew at times I was there and that was a comfort. I so feel for you not being wanted by your mom at this devastating time and that she is not in her right mind but in a fog and just can't get out. I do know God is greater and can help her break through even for a short while to see you and recognize her daughter. I am praying for this right now as I feel in my heart. Praise God! I will continue to pray for you .
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Thank you so very much Tinalouise for your prayers! I hope when time to go Home for mom will come that we’ll have this short moment of recognizing!
But for now mom is in very good health and very bad moods!

My sincere sympathy for your loss, even if your mom is in a better place I know it’s a hard time. Even if we pray for their (and our) deliverance from this horrible Alz, when it’s happening , it’s still very hard! I know because once we feared mom was at the end and I was surprised how much I cried and was sad, not ready at all. Perhaps because it was not her time to go, God didn’t give me His peace!

When mom refused to receive my love, I was crushed and I said to God : « if it is what you feel when we refuse to receive Your love, I ask You to forgive us and me particularly from all my heart! ».

So I’m very grateful for your prayers! I’ll keep you in mine too.
(3)
Report
YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK!
This is not a sin you know! I am sure you have fond feelings for your mother but if you keep submerging yourself in this - you risk to lose the good memories of better days.
Realize that this is beyond your control. And this is not your fault. If your presence irritates and angers her and hurts you - you both suffer and there is no benefit for either of you at that moment.
So please, take a break, do some fun stuff! Get pampered at a spa! Take a short vacation! Focus on your other family members (if you have them) who might need your love and attention.
Instead of visitations, call the place she is at and inquire of her health and wellbeing. If she is lucid enough to recognize you - tell her how much you love her (if that's the case) and visit her and give her a hug. If she is not - keep your distance for your own mental health's sake.
And please, give yourself permission to feel OK with this! It is normal to feel sad about one's parent's decline. But it is not your fault and you have no control over her health.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Thank you so much Alex❤️. I needed to hear that! I’m slowly coming to the same conclusion, but it is good to hear that from someone else.

God bless you!(or whatever bring you peace)!
(1)
Report
It's not an uncommon situation. Your Mom is there, but she isn't. It's certainly a mental situation so don't take it personal while you grieve the loss of the relationship. If meds can't improve her mental state, then I would say resolve yourself to the loss of her memory, her comments to, and understand that your visits are to check on her care more than expecting improvement in attitude. I would consider that your visits do not involve explaining who you are if you doesn't remember you but rather checking on her care.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Yes Rick, I very recently came to the same conclusion! For some months now the relationship « devolved » and worsen each time till this sad bubble! Now she seems to perceive me as a sort of relative that can’t give her what she wants (going back home) so I’m irrelevant! In that attitude, I, I recognize her (sad smile). That’s probably why I know that for now on visiting her won’t bring her any relief, she won’t perceive any of my love and that is really, really sad (but not really new so I’m crushed by also very old wounds).
On the brighter side I can watch over her in many other ways and even go almost incognito in some weeks if her memory continues to degrade.

Thank you for your insight: it’s comforting. Have a nice day!
(1)
Report
Can't reason with a broken brain.

It's like asking a person with two broken legs to walk.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Yes, I know. My head understands that very well. My heart finds that very difficult and when I’m very tired, well, my heart doesn’t understand at all!
(3)
Report
So sad you are suffering, I lost mum to Alzheimer’s last November and it’s horrible painful process so I do understand something of what you are going through.

Lots of times she thought I was her mum, I didn’t correct her I played along. What ever is going on in a persons head is their reality.

take a break, do something nice for yourself have a spa day anything to take your mind off it for a while.

your mum won’t even realise you have been gone so don’t feel guilty.

The personality changes are horrid. It’s not your mum that doesn’t want to see you it’s the Alzheimer’s.

keep strong x
Helpful Answer (3)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Thank you for your kind words and my sympathy for your loss. Take care!

As for « it is not your mom, it the Alz » I recognize too much of my mom in some of her unfiltered (that is the Alz!) reactions to feel any relief. Rejecting people because they don’t bring her exactly what she wants is not the dementia, it is her! She doesn’t recognize me, it’s the Alz. The combination of her character and the dementia shut me out of her bubble it is a very sad combination!

Thank you for your understanding and kindness. Take care: mourning is not easy either.God bless you.
(0)
Report
Does your mom's place have a spot where you could just observe her in the common area? Sometimes just being nearby is helpful to your heart without upsetting your mom.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
Unfortunately, no! But from time to time they send photos and a very brief report. I would suggest your idea, but her residence mimics a family household as much as they can, so I don’t see how it could be accomplish.

Thank you for the suggestion
(0)
Report
See 1 more reply
She doesn't recognize you as family. Stop trying to make her see you as her child. Visit as a friend. Commiserate with her that she is "sick" and needs to stay where she is. Visiting helps you to see she is well-cared for. Knowing her the best, you may also notice health care changes that should be addressed.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report
Michou Nov 2021
I think you didn’t read all I wrote in answer to the others who like you were very kind and had to try to help me.
Because of all of you, I realize many things and I evolve at least in my head if not quite in my heart.

I’ve never ever tried to make mom see me as her child if she doesn’t, but you must admit that on the receiving end, it’s hard. But I didn’t stop visiting her: my first concern was her, not me. If she rejects the « relative » that she thinks I am because I’m not the person who will take her home no matter what I tried to communicate, I feel visiting her is pretty useless for both of us!

Thank you for your concern. Have a nice day!
(1)
Report
See All Answers
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter