by Rex Coker

Created on: September 24, 2007   Last Updated: July 08, 2010

My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1987, she had just started her social security retirement. It was a big blow to my moral. I had watched this woman work hard all her life. She did not deserve this, she deserved to live her life comfortably the rest of her days. My wife had taken her to the doctor that day, and when they arrived back at my Mothers' house it was a tearful event. We never seemed to be able to stop crying. The big question was how to take care of mother?

I came from a large family, there were ten of us kids. I was the youngest, and felt more responsible for mother. I took care of Mom for years, paid all the bills, worked all through high school, gave up going to college. I new it was my turn to support her, after all this was the woman that sacrificed so much so I could have. I took care of her through the years passionately, it gave me responsibility and made a man of me. I never looked at her as a burden, and to this day I feel good about having done so.

When Mother was diagnosed. My brothers and sister had held a family meeting to decide Mothers future. There was allot of arguing and bickering. They wanted to sell all Mom's stuff. I told them I would keep Mom with me, I would take care of her and they could give my wife and I a break when it was convenient for them. I put Mom's belongings in to my car and we left. I was concerned about what my wife was thinking of the situation. My wife had just given birth to our second son. I knew this would be a problem, but I was determined I was going to take care of her, no matter what.

I helped Mom up the steps and through the door of my house, taking slow steps so she could keep her balance. I felt like the world was on my shoulders, I had to be strong for Mom and for my wife and family. My wife made her way in to the kitchen, with the baby in his carrier. She placed Mom's medicine up in the cabinet over the sink, put her hands on each side of the sink and began to sob. I knew this reassuring going to be a stressful time on her. I tried to be attentive and console her, so did the kids.

I had given Mom a bath and dressed her for bed. My wife had helped with getting her bed turned down, and grabbed Mom's arms to steady her, we turned and let her sit down on the bed. I took Mom's glasses off her face, combed her hair and made sure she had a glass of water beside the bed. My wife said her good nights and left to put the kids to bed. I stayed with Mom for a while, reading from the Bible while she

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