.JPG)
**I love this picture of my mother. It was in June of this year, and by this time, she had begun to wear three blouses at a time. It makes me smile, and endears her condition to me just so much more.
* * *
It's fitting that on my birthday today, I'm teaming up with Johnson&JohnsonParents, for a cause near to my heart, Alzheimer's, on September 21st, World Alzheimer's Day.
The closest I can come to feeling my mother is with me today, is to celebrate her. I'm missing her call this morning, the one that always began, "Feliz Cumpeanos, Mija!" She never missed our birthdays, all six of us, up until the last year of her life.
I'm proud to be part of Johnson&Johnson's campaign recognizing and bringing awareness to World Alzheimer's Day. I hope you'll click over to JNJParents, and share in a memory of my mother, from just this year.
Thank you so much. And for any of you caring for and loving on someone with Alzheimer's, your kindness and patience is something they feel, even if they can't find the words to tell you.
September 21st is recognized as World Alzheimer’s Day. A day of awareness and remembrance of all of those afflicted by this condition, which is currently said to be 5 million in the United States. But the people affected go beyond those that are suffering. In 2012, it was estimated that there were 15 million caregivers who logged 17 billion hours of unpaid care. For people like Alexandra Rosas, serving as a caregiver for her mother allowed her to see everyday life in a whole new light.
Finding a Hero - In the midst of Alzheimer’s, we sometimes see things in a different light. One caregiver tells the endearing story of watching her ailing mother with her young son. Read her story here...
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Happy Birthday, Alexandra!
ReplyDeletehey, happy birthday!!!! smiles...i hope you have a wonderful day....i am sure your family will take care of you...and nice to pay it forward on that day...alz is scary for me honestly....
ReplyDeleteI hate that I missed your birthday by a day, but better late than never. I hope it was filled with happy memories and things that will be looked upon as happy memories going forward.
ReplyDeleteI know all too well the struggle of dealing with the care of an ailing loved one, and you have shown nothing but compassion and grace. May the upcoming be filled with the same back on you! XO
Happy birthday, Alexandra. We are all still here, sometimes silent, but always holding you in our hearts as you encounter all of these 'firsts' after your mother's passing.
ReplyDeleteYour story over at a J&J is a beautiful tribute to your mother and the love she had for your children. I loved the world your youngest and she created together each Sunday. What a lovely memory.
Happy Birthday my friend! I hope it was wonderful. I love this photo; so sweet. Bless your sweet mother and your family. Alzheimer's is hard. That's the understatement for the ages. My step father battled it and my mom went through a lot dealing with it. You and your boys made your mom's life so special being there for her and letting her know how loved she is. That's huge. xoxo
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Alexandra! Your story was beautiful. Your sons are so lucky to have had this one-on-one time with your mom. I love that she was a Transformers fan, too. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much. Today will be hard for me, I know this, and that's why I am grateful for the opportunity to share about the beautiful side of dementia. My mother lived among my children's thoughts... and tht is a place i couldn't enter... too adult me, whereas my mother was right there with them. Thank you all so much.
ReplyDeleteThat picture makes me smile so hard. I hope your day was fabulous.
ReplyDelete