sixglides Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 I don't know how to do this. I want to enjoy our time, but finality of her disease is so hard, I cried all morning yesterday. Anyone who has walked this path & have guidance? It would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 My grandma died from this disease - it is a heartwrenching thing to watch a loved one go through. I have no words of wisdom - just :grouphug:. Cherish this visit. You're in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 My grandmother died from this. It is gut-wrenching to watch. However one thing I remember of her is she had JOY all the time. She saw each day as her last and made the best of it. That is what I remember of her. :001_smile: Try to make the best of her visit. Help her keep her mind off of her disease. Plan fun outings. :grouphug: Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BridgeTea Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 ALS is a tough one, and I'm so sorry your Mom has it. My dad had ALS. I attended some of his support group meetings and went on several of the outings that the group held for the families. There were so many wonderful ALS patients I got to know over the years. (Mom and I kept attending long after Dad was gone.) One thing that always stood out to me was how much joy the patients had. They were not scary or sad meetings at all. The patients were of all ages, and their disease presented in its various ways. Everyone worried about the inevitable end of course. But each family helped the next one through it. And what we heard time and again, was the end was not nearly as horrible as the family thought it was going to be. We experienced this as well. But your Mom gets to come visit! Hooray! Enjoy the heck out of it the best you can. ALS can mess with the patient's emotions, which some people choose to treat with medication. Dad was always a softy, but hit a stage where he really cried at the drop of a hat, and chose medication for awhile. How long has it been since you saw Mom? There may possibly be big physical changes. It's okay to talk to her about them. And don't be afraid to run the whole gamut of emotions alongside Mom. Laugh with her, cry with her, and just be with her as you can. Take a break when you need to. Many ALS patients benefit from taking preventative naps, so they can be physically rested up for the next task they take on. Dad needed a nap before meals, which made eating easier for him. I had a 7, 9, and 18 year old while my Dad was dealing with ALS. The littles, especially, took great delight and pleasure in fetching stuff for Grandpa, rubbing his feet, and getting him his coffee. We involved them entirely. They all have sweet memories of curling up beside Grandpa on the bed while he rested, and Grandpa always said that was the best medicine he could hope for. If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me. I hope you have a wonderful visit. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.