Give Me a "T"!

Up until about three to four years ago, my mom could still recite all of her cheers that she had to learn in the late 50's when she was a cheerleader for Tunkhannock High School in Tunkhannock, PA.  I am so thankful to my Aunt Ann for taking my mom in during her teens years and making sure she made it through high school. My mom used to tell me she joined cheering so she could get out on school nights because if it was a school night and she wasn't involved in a school activity, she had better keep her you know what home!  My mom was a social butterfly back in her day for sure!  If you were to see her 1958 Senior Yearbook, you would agree as there are no pages unsigned by any of her classmates.  Well, maybe a few by a few females but not many!  My mom knew everyone and cherished being friends with all.  She never missed a class reunion either.  My mom would mark them on her calendar and was probably the first one to send back her RSVP to the planning committee.

The first time my mom attended her reunion after her diagnosis, I drove her to Pennsylvania so she could attend. My Aunt Karen took both my mom and myself to the reunion.  I was hesitant but it was just at the beginning of her diagnosis so I let my mom go to her reunion by herself.  We dropped her off at the door with instructions to meet us when it was over in the same spot.  Secretly I had contacted one of her classmates who agreed to help keep an eye on her so that my mom could enjoy her time but still be safe. My aunt and I went out to supper ourselves and visited until it was time to pick my mom up.

I remember my emotions during that trip.  I was so worried for my mom.  Yet, I was so happy for her at the same time.  Then I would be sad and cry while my aunt consoled me because I knew that this was would be the last reunion my mom could attend.  I knew that given the fact of her diagnosis and its development, she would not be attending her next reunion in five years.  

The other hard part about Alzheimer's is that I became the worried parent of a teenager basically.  I was the one that was wondering how she was doing.  Was anyone talking to her?  Did she even remember people?  My mom had always had such a fantastic memory.  Was she safe and having fun?  I remember my relief when we arrived to pick her up and one of her high school friends made sure to deliver to safely to us then she slipped me her email and phone number.

Five years after this, the invitation to the reunion was sent to my house instead of my mom's. I opened it to find that the planning committee had written notes inside asking how my mom was and letting me know they were thinking about her.  I never showed my mom because by then she wouldn't even be able to fathom what it was.