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)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Peonies

On Memorial day weekend our Peonies bloomed... BEAUTIFUL! And they have a VERY Special meaning to us... because they were Peonies that Cathy planted. 8 months after Cathy passed away we (Brad & I) bought the home that Brad grew up in... that Cathy & Gayle built in 1976 when Brad was 1. Words cannot express how special it is to us... living in the home that Cathy Loved... we feel close to her here & that is comforting to us.

Life continues on... time passes... but the LOVE never fades!! Today Brad & I are struggling with some potentially bad news & I am wishing Cathy was here to comfort Brad. I can tell you that yesterday I felt her presence & I know she is watching over us & I DO BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!!

Sharing some photos of Cathy's Peonies with you. Chase took 2 out to Grandma last weekend & we noticed a special visitor moved the pennies into the shape of a cross. The kids take a penny & leave a penny for Grandma each time we visit. (A tradition we learned from Aunt Sherry... I still need to look at the history behind this) The were so Amazed this Spring when the snow melted that some of their pennies were still there!! It is something... some connection they can have with Grandma.






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