Wednesday, May 11, 2011

AAQI Quilts - glen

Thank you Miki for putting this together for us.  I think it is a wonderful way to challenge ourselves to give back.

This one is dedicated to my mother who has Alzheimers.  She has gone down very quickly in the last 3 years and can no longer remember things so simple as using a straw.  Her mind is in a very dark place now.  I  made the decision recently to move her from assisted living to a nursing home.  She may not know much but she remembers I put her there.  When I see her now all she can tell me is that she hates me.  All her life her obsessions controlled her, and now they are still in control through her hazy mind.  So her quilt is dark.


My Aunt Edith was like a mother to me for most of my life.  She and Uncle Buddy bought me my first pair of blue jeans, my first horse and gave me summers that were away from my mother.  They were the Grandparents who loved and doted on  Carrie like their own.    I took care of her for 10 years after her kids abandoned her following the diagnosis.  My Aunt had an incredible sense of humor and it stayed with her to the end of her life.  I told Frank to always have bail money handy because I just knew we were going to get put in jail one day!  She was so funny so her quilt is the Crazy Mixed Up Mind.

  I registered the quilts last night and may do a few more.

This is cathartic.  I needed it.
glen

5 comments:

Miki Willa said...

These are wonderful, Glen. Thank you so much for joining in on this challenge.

Deb said...

Glen, as one who who has been a care taker for some one with Alzheimer's disease, I really appreciate the stories behind these quilts. Your quilts really capture the different sides of this insidious disease. Thank you for sharing these.

Magpie Sue said...

Wow, quick work! And your mother's story could be taken as a warning to us all: lighten up now or else! I would much rather go out laughing - or at least mindlessly happy - than grumpy. Thanks for the motivation glen!

Chris said...

Thanks for sharing your quilts - and your stories, Glen.

JoAnne in southern California said...

My heart goes out to you, Glen. God bless you always.