Mom's happy mood

I just have to stop for a moment and talk about how Mom is doing.  She is so much happier since our vacation (during which, Gail and Adie took care of  them.)  She is still quite confused but she finds it funny.  And her attitude is so much easier for me to deal with.  This morning as she was waking up, I was sitting on her bed and stroking her face.  As I often do, I asked if she knew where she was and who she is, I am, etc?  Today she told me she is Ruth Hinck and that she's 20 years old.  I told her she was actually 86 and she just laughed.  "Really?"  she said and I responded, "isn't it funny how you feel like a young person inside but you just keep getting older?"  "I can hardly believe how old I am!"  Later, as I was getting her ready to take her shower she said to me, "I like it when you call me Mom even though I know I can't be."

Hallack just asked me why I think things are better since our vacation and I told him I think it's a combination of things.  One, my attitude is so much better and I find that Mom responds to my mood as I do to hers.  So, if she wakes up cheerful, it's easier for me to be patient/gentle/kind and then she responds to that with gratitude.  I do remember that there have been times when I've been patient/gentle/kind and she was grumpy and miserable so it's more than just my attitude.  Secondly, I think she had a good time with my sisters but she really did miss me.  Finally, I think this is a new phase that she's in and I am just grateful for it.  And I know it might not last.  Probably won't.  Today, I'm going to enjoy her generally happy state of mind and make the most of it.  And I'm going to really clean their room because it needs it.