Our hearing

We went to court on Friday-yesterday and I expected the worst. My brother and I left at 10:30 in the morning to head up to my mother's house. She was in an uproar because we were late by her standards-she had forgotten that she wanted to sleep in late. She was completely distracted jumping from one thing to another. Getting her dressed was a major feat-she simply could not pay attention long enough to put anything on. We finally left at 11:30-Dad, Kev, Mom and I. I do not remember the last time the four of us got together for a road trip. I am sure it was before I got married. So at least 9 years. In the past, our road trips were notorious for Mom freaking out. In fact, my brother and I hated family vacations because we knew it was only a matter of time before my mother went ballistic. I will say for the first time in my life, the trip was actually the best one we had. funny huh? The drive up there was prep time for mom to gain an understanding of what I was going to say. She was very open to most of what I had written (I sorta kept the parts she would not like hidden). Our plan was to eat lunch first, but by the time we reached the court house, it was too late for us to sit and actually enjoy the meal. So we went to the social security court room and reviewed our file. Boy was I nervous.

After a small wait, we were ready to begin. I was allowed in with my mother to talk for her and Kevin was allowed in just in case she lost it. The judge began with my mother asking her name-my mother had a hard time telling her the last name and her age. She was very nervous and could not follow what was going on. The judge then asked me to talk for her and answer questions which my mother did not like. After about ten minutes, somehow (a true miracle) my mother thought she was finished and decided to leave the room. I was able to talk freely from this point on and hopefully nailed it. The judge commented on how frustrating it must be for my mother to live inside of her brain and how hard it must be for me. She mentioned that she needed medical proof that mom was disabled, so I started nailing every medical record in her report that my father so graciously sent to her. It was worth all those hours gathering evidence and studying them. I referred her to one record after another demonstrating anxiety, confusion, judgement issues, other disorders that were prereqs for Alzheimer's. After about forty minutes, I left and my dad took over. I am sure he did a terrific job correlating the symptoms to the stages of Alzheimer's . I believe that the hardest job went to Kevin though for he had to be with mom the entire time-keeping her happy. What a great team-the three musketeers. The best part of it all was the end with the vocational therapist. After reviewing the medical reports, the therapist agreed that mom could not have held any job from 2003. I love that woman!!

We left the hearing and went to dinner at the Olive Garden. It was the best meal I have ever had with my family. Everyone was so happy and so positive. Mom was smiling from ear to ear and cracking smiles left and right. Dad and Kevin were having a great time chitchatting. I was loving the ambiance and the overwhelming feeling of love. I will recreate that night many times over-what a fantastic memory that I will always have. Thank you Dad, Kevin, and Mom.

Now you really did not think that we would make it the entire day without something happening did you? What a fun ride home let me tell you. Everything was going rather ok until the dreaded smell of automobiles. Mom lost it. Luckily Kevin held down the button to keep the door locks. Mom was screaming and punching the glass on the window. She kicked the door, banged her head on the window, kicked the seat ahead of her, and basically freaked out. Then it passed until we headed into a rural area and the smell of grass infiltrated the car. Again with the freak out. Complete and utter screaming and ranting hyperventilating mess. The strangest thing was as fast as it came on, it was over and then poor dear Kevin.

Out of her mouth literally ten seconds after freaking out-Kevin you need you hmm you better Kevin, you need need to be um why don't you be a Christan. You get baptised. You have Muslims worshiping Buddha and doing things you have all -don't you realize we are hated-don't you wonder why christains are hated. In Israel there are three three of those three black christian Jews that the Bible predicts and it is coming true. I was literally biting my hand to keep me from losing it. I had tears streaming down my face. If my brother had turned to look at me, I would have busted out in laughter. Dad kept looking into the mirror and was laughing at me. Finally after about 10 minutes, I composed myself enough to tell her that she was over doing it. She put her bottle up to her head and I said what are you baptising yourself? She started laughing uncontrollably which allowed me to finally laugh. Then two seconds later, it started to rain and I said that she was getting her wish, that Kevin was being baptised. Ah the laughter that filled the car-what a great way to end the day. But the day was not ended for me-they dropped me off, I said hi love you night night to my children and on to movie night with mom.

Tonight's movie-My best friends wedding. The night went well and we had fun. I actually left by 11:30-Wonderful you say-ah you get to go home and relax. I had this brilliant idea to say hi to my dad and thank him for a great day. Well I spent about 1/2 hour with him and Grandma-she was sad and just wanted some attention. As I am heading home, my mother called and she cannot find her pills. back up to my mother's to look for her new prescription. Finally at 1:15, we find her pills in the sheets of her bed (which I had looked at twice). I head home exhausted but thankful the hearing is over.