Stories from Caregivers: Lori from INDIANA
IN
Lori
FROM INDIANA
Where do I even begin? My name is Lori Temple, and my mom is Sherrill Temple. At 40 I came back home to finish college that I had begun in the late '70's and early '80's. I had a plan, to give myself a better shot at life in my later years, through college. But we all know what they say about making plans... fortunately I was able to finish with two degrees before everything went sideways. If I had a question about something, I went to mom, and she would always give the answer her best shot. My mom always gave everything her best shot. I am so proud of her for that (among of course many other things). My mom was always full of energy, always doing something and worked incredibly hard her entire life. Previous to 2007 I began noticing some out of character and just plain odd behavior in my mom. In Jan. 2007 I began to take care of her finances, because, come to find out, she stopped paying the second mortgage. I was in complete shock from the other things I began to find out, from her friends, her debts...there was so much. I think mom was having issues long before she was diagnosed. I had to get mom a neurologist, she did not have a doctor, life insurance, or will. Although I am a quick study, I was out of my comfort zone, when I had to take on all her responsibilities due to her diagnosis of Dementia. The future I had planned quickly disappeared. I have been taking care of mom for 7 years (8 in Jan. 2015), and what I have found is that she is safe, clothed, bathed, and well fed in a home that has been in our family for 3 generations. And that for now, this is the best place for her. This has been, probably, the hardest thing I have ever done, but I believe that mom has earned her place in this world and that I need to give this my best shot, knowing that she won't remember me (she was moved to "severe" dementia in Sept. of this year). The best advice I could give anyone who is going to take on the responsibility of one's parent with this disease: Read everything you can get your hands on that pertains to the disease itself, the meds that your parent will be taking, hospices, burial, insurances, any and all things legal, but most of all try to prepare yourself for what your emotions will go through. There are support groups. And there is financial assistance out there as well, things that were not out there when I started on this journey The pictures are of mom on the beach of one her favorite places, it is the last good picture I have of her. And the other is an art piece I did of her (by nature, I am a photographer/digital artist).
