I've Been Better | Prologue

Dementia: the longest good-bye

I decided to write about my mother's journey into Dementia as I was witness to it. In a way, it is my journey also. It seemed to happen so suddenly, but looking back on correspondence over the years the pieces fit. It was over a decade in the making, Bettie slowly disappearing like the Cheshire Cat until only the grin remained. 

No one wanted to admit that something was going wrong, terribly wrong and that our mother and our friend was disappearing right before our eyes. 

For years we brushed the odd responses and behavior off. We were all busy living our adult lives. If there were cries for help (there were), we didn't see it, and Bettie certainly didn't ask, in fact, she went to great lengths to cover everything up, for longer than I care to acknowledge now.

And so it begins ......

me: "mom, how are you?"

Bettie: "well, I've been better"

© 2019 Anne Faulkner | it came with the head | all rights reserved