Joan's birthday

Yesterday was my mother-in-law, Joan's birthday. She has Lewy-Body Disease and has been in the nursing home for a year now. Previous to that she lived at an assisted living facility for a year. The disease has sure incapacitated her! The disease is sort of like having Alzhiemer's, Dementia, and Parkinson's all at once! It is so hard to see her suffering like this.

Each month the home has a birthday party for all the residents that have a birthday that month. There were so many of us that came for Joan that they put us in a separate room. Joan takes her medication shortly after noon. It makes her very sleepy. She tried to wake up but just couldn't and slept through the whole time we were there.

Here are some pictures of us all that were there to celebrate with her. The lady on the right is Joan's good friend, Dorothy who shares the same birthday. They would always go out to celebrate together. Dorothy and another friend, Irene got Joan the outfit she has on as well as another. My family is on the left, Tim, Brandon, Leah, Daniel, and I. Tim's brother, Mike is standing by Dorothy.

This picture has Joan's brother, Bernie in it. Bernie is Joan's only sibling. He has a wife, Vickie and three sons who are all grown and three grandchildren. Dick didn't have any siblings.

I think it a blessing that Joan can sleep as when she is awake she is quite frequently uncomfortable and frightened.



Mike had got such a nice ice cream cake as it is difficult for Joan to eat regular cake. She never did eat any of that cake. Joan knew that our kids all loved ice cream cakes. Whenever Dick and Joan would come out to our place for a meal she would love to bring one. In fact they all got sick of ice cream cakes and stopped asking for them for their birthdays!

Sometimes change is good and sometimes it is so hard. How we wish that somethings could stay the same.