Our Families Journey Caring for a Mom with FTLD-MND

It is important to know as you read this journal that this was Cathy's life post diagnosis...

To know Cathy Truly you must know that she was: a Wife, Mother of 3 boys, Grandmother of 9, Sister, Niece, Aunt, Daughter, and Friend.

Our families journey began with Cathy's diagnosis the week of Thanksgiving 2006, Cathy was 52. Her original diagnosis was Pick's Disease/FTD. Looking back her symptoms most likely began 3-5 years before diagnosis. Most of the Doctors have told us that from onset of symptoms to death... the average timeframe is 4-7 years. (sigh) In the end her brain autopsy showed Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration with Motor Neuron Disease FTLD-MND. (Basically... Frontal Lobe Dementia with Lou Gehrig's Disease)

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Little Norway Lutheran Church

Aunt Charlene, Cathy, the kids, & I went to church Sunday at Little Norway. I think it is so Great that Cathy has interest in going to Church again! They were members here when they lived in Wisconsin & Aunt Charlene's Confirmation photo is still in the basement of the Church. Once Cathy & Gayle moved to Iowa they stopped going to Church for one reason or another. Cathy's father Noble is buried there & her Grandma as well. Brad & I have stopped and left flowers before. We have taken the kids to show them also & Chase and I even got a tour of the Church one day when we stopped.

Even when Cathy lived in Iowa I remember a framed picture hanging in their home of Jesus. The picture is now hanging in the dining room in Wisconsin. I also remember the Lord's Prayer hanging in the kitchen in Iowa. I know that Jesus is a part of her life. Over the summer we have talked about him a few times.

That is one memory I have of my Grandma Ruby before she died. The last night I saw her I stopped in late at the nursing home. She was already in bed with the bedrail up but she was still awake. I leaned over the rail & took her hands. We said good night prayers together. My aunt also tells about how she never forgot who Jesus was. She forgot who we were & would often call me her sister Olga or Agnes. But she always knew who Jesus was!

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