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Wednesday, January 12

Pranking the internet

What a wonderful week this is turning into.  Jason has been working like a crazy man and I am getting used to being a "house wife".  We had a meeting for my pregnant teens on Saturday and it went rather well.  The girls are starting to complete their schooling and getting motivated.  I am worried for a few of them but just keep praying that God will lead them.  Today, I received a blessing from a wonderful woman.  On my front steps were three boxes of unbelievable clothes for my children.  The ironic part is that they were just my style.  I love my children to look well dressed and well groomed.  If I could afford to shop at Gymboree, Gap, and the children's place, I would.  As I open the box, there were button down shirts for Connor, gymboree outfits for Kenzie-such beautiful clothing.  Thank you Anita for your thoughtfulness and fantastic taste :).  Gifts like those help us save so much and give that money to others in need. Such a fantastic blessing especially after the week I had.  One of my adopted "children" had lice and I spent hours picking out nits and doing treatments.  Thankfully my house has been spared but I am diligent in cleaning every area and treating us as though we had it.  I do not know what I would do if my family got it.  Yuck.  I will say that it is hard to keep opening up my home when I know that those critters are near.  I also noticed that on days when some come visiting, I find one or two little roaches that have hitched a ride.  I have since banned any backpacks, jackets, or other loose items from entering my house.  Out of all the nuisances, that is the hardest to deal with.  I am neurotic about insects in my house-my dog and cat are on preventative meds, our house is so well sealed and protected that rarely does a bug get it.  Pray that I can overlook the critters that ride in on my "children" .  I am looking forward to this weekend to have a day to relax.  It seems that there is something everyday and it never stops.  Tomorrow we have a Dr. Appointment and will keep you posted on how it went. 

Tonight went well with my mom. She is so happy that my little cousin is here-this young lady was like her other daughter-her heart was taken with Heather and she always felt like a mom to her.  In fact, the way Mom felt about Heather was with more love than I think she had for either Kevin and I.  Having her in town has made my mother so happy and it makes me so glad.  Heather was the fair haired beautiful feminine angel that my mother always wanted.  I was always so headstrong and stubborn-def not the favorite child.  You think I kid but I don't.  My determination made my mom feel unwanted or not needed and she hated that.  In fact my only nickname (peevzy) was for pet peeve. The joke was that Kevin was the pet and I was the pet peeve thus peevzy.  I hold not sadness or jealousy, not feeling of resentment.  I am thankful for the fact that mom felt the way she did because it made me the person I am.  I can remember as a child of six wondering why she was so distant or disgruntled with me.  We all had these special plates that divided the food into three sections.  I had broken mine when I was 6 on accident but from that day on, was never allowed to use anyone else's special plate.  This bothered me so much that Kevin would slide his plate to me only to have my mother tell him to take it back.  It was only a plate but the fact that I could never have one like the rest of the family used to drive me crazy. Ah those good old days :)
So tonight went so well and I had such a great time.  Mom was so excited to do her little prank that I feel I must share with you what we are planning to see what everyone thinks about it.  The following idea is my mother's and we are quite sure that it will cause an internet reaction.  So much so that I fear possibly the ramifications of it.  I am testing it with all of you to see how you feel about it.  To understand the prank you need to understand my mother.  She has always been a prankster and sometimes not the nicest pranks.  She once hid from the house when my brother was 8 to make him think the rapture had come.  Like I said, not always the nicest pranks. Even last April fools day some of you will remember that she actually pranked me.  She called to say that two men had come in and taken her piano.  That they said they bought it from my father.  I was so scared that she had just been robbed and was about to hang up and call 911 when she said hahaha it is that day.  I was floored!  So here is her idea.
She wants us (or more specifically my brother) to tape her doing everyday things-eating, washing her hands, explaining a movie, trying to sit down etc.  She wants my brother to post it on the internet as though he is mocking her-like he tapes himself saying watch how my mother cannot do anything and fade into her trying to do something.  She wants to do this over a course of time and let the internet community get angry and when enough people watch it, she wants to post a video saying Just kidding this was my idea.  Her idea is since this disease is so horrible she mind as well get some humor out of it.  I mentioned that after this she could tape herself trying to describe a movie and the first person who guesses it will win something like a dvd of the movie or some other item.  She loves the idea and is so excited to do something that will bring fun into this destructive disease.  Now I am fearful that many will think it is cruel or heartless but only those that have experienced the frustration and devastating effects of this disease could understand the irony of this.  The best part is it is her idea-she wants people to know she is still here even though she cannot understand how to sit on the toilet (the newest difficulty) or that I cannot come out of the phone to turn off the T.V.  So what do you think?  morbid? heartless? silly? humorous?  Ultimately, we will do as she wants since our goal is to see the smile on her face.  But I thought before we actually do this, we would create a discussion on some forums.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh dear, I don't think it's a good idea at all. I'm afraid a well-meaning citizen will get the law involved and cause problems that you don't need! Also, the folks who watched the video and became upset or concerned might not think it's funny at all when your mom finally let's them know that it's a joke. So, I'd vote "no". I think creating some kind of humorous video, though, is a great idea! xxooo, Janice in San Diego

Anonymous said...

It's a little more complex than kim posted Janice, but trust me all legal / whatever problems are not an issue. Also, my mom wants to do this not only to be a prankster, but to show people what she struggles with every day and yet still tries to laugh at herself and keep her spirits positive.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Janice. I am afraid most people would not see the humor in her situation. Unfortunately, most people are ignorant of the ramifications of dementia. Good Luck and take care....

Anonymous said...

I fear that most people do not see the humor in watching a demented person fumbling and failing to perform ordinary tasks. It may be your Mother's idea, but Social Services Investigators could think otherwise if alerted to the site. I'd just let this idea fade into the sunset.

Anonymous said...

Fade into the sunset as so many patients before,hidden away in the back of the nursing homes. Yes hide these videos so no one can see the destructive course of this disease. Be ashamed knowing that your friends might think that you could turn out like this.
Social Services might think it is a travesty to show people in this condition.
We have seen staving kids of third world countries but they don't show our own.
They show people dying of Aids and they get more funding from the government for research for a cure than Alzheimer's ,Yet many more people die from Alzheimer's than Aids.
Every 69 seconds someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease.That is nothing compared to the others diagnosed with some other form of dementia.
Fade into the sunset...never!
Become an advocate...
Now is the time to join us and speak up for the needs and rights of people with Alzheimer's and their families, and help persuade Congress to address those needs through legislative action.
As an advocate, you will:
•Generate action from our elected officials by making calls and writing letters.
•Stay on top of policy and legislative
issues through alerts and updates.
•Help elevate Alzheimer's from a disease to a cause
http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_advocacy.asp
Way to go Kimberly.

Kim said...

Thank you! The one amazing thing about my mother is her ability to reason and process. My mother hates the disease and hates what it is doing to her but she is trying to find humor whether dark or twisted in this horrible disease. The disease has robbed her of a normal life and since there is no more normalcy in anything, she was determined to let people see that it may take her skills, it may take her abilities, but it will never take her humor, her spirit, or her ability to find something good in something bad.

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