[misty]

Went to my mom's for her birthday she is now 79 years old. She is changing so much (tears falling). How can this be her? All the hurt from the past I need to let go of for she is not the same person any more. She is like a child some times that I want so to take care of and other times I struggel. Oh God help me!!!!! This hurts so much! I hate to leave her when I visit I see such saddness in her eyes. I want to take her in my arms and never let her go. Other times I have such anger for things that have happend. Oh how can things be so mixed up? How this hurts to see her go so slowly. She use to be so strong, so independant and today it is hard for her to remember how to dress.

[Maya]

My dad had alzheimer's (and Parkinson's) and for the last 5 years of his life he was about 2 years old. I also held a great deal of anger at him prior to the disease and realized that the person he ended up being was not him - I could not be angry at him for his past behavior with me. My brother held on to his anger longer than I did but finally, just the night before he died, told him he loved him. It is a terrible disease and yes, I worry about getting one or both of the diseases. I have considered going to amemory clinic for testing but I need a referral from my primary care (HMO doctor) and our university that had the clinic recently closed it so that option is no longer open to me.

[(JD)]

Hope today is better.