Tag Archives: Loneliness

Being There

“Is my butt bigger than that girl’s butt?” my mom asked, pointing at a passing woman. We were in the Hebrew Home sculpture garden, celebrating Grandparents Day with a couple hundred residents and guests. I almost knocked us both over … Continue reading

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Three Husbands

Mom is sitting at her table across from Donald, and they’re smiling at each other. When she sees me, she beams. “Hi Donald,” I say, as I lean over to kiss my mom. “Is that his name?” she asks. “I’m … Continue reading

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Music

My mom is sad. I arrive to find her lying on her bed, weeping. “I just want to die,” she says between sobs. “What is happening to me?” Kenneth is almost completely nonfunctional. He’s no real companion for her anymore. … Continue reading

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Men

“Yuck … men!” said my mom more times than I can count, from my teenage years until about three years ago. My mom wasn’t happy with my dad, who was her husband for over 35 years. When they divorced more … Continue reading

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Interconnectedness

“Let me ask you a question,” my mom’s boyfriend, “Kenneth,” says. “Does that tell you that is nearly basically one of the few things… that is the place to go? Because I can get the jumps on this thing. Is … Continue reading

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A Day with Alzheimer’s

My mom is thoroughly enjoying the Sunday concert at Hebrew Home. “He’s really good!” she says of the musician who’s singing folk songs and playing guitar. She’s looking relaxed, happy, and unselfconscious, with none of the worry lines that marked … Continue reading

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Home

Ring! Ring! “Hello?” “Hi, Mom! How are you doing?” “Oh, not so good.” “Why?” “I don’t know what to do.” “About what?” “I was thinking I might go home tomorrow.” “Oh?” “But then I was thinking … when are you … Continue reading

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My mom is so lonely

“You’re staying overnight, right?” my mom asks. I shake my head no, for the fifth time. I just got here an hour ago, and that’s all she can talk about. My mom wants nothing more than to go to bed … Continue reading

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