My Mom’s Revelations: An Easter Weekend That Changed Everything!

I wanted to share something deeply personal and impactful that happened over the Easter weekend back in 2017. What was supposed to be a short getaway to Brandvlei with my mom turned into a pivotal moment, really solidifying what we suspected about her health.

My mom has been a handful for my dad lately, and we strongly suspect it's Alzheimer's. While we don't have an official diagnosis yet, the signs have been increasingly present. To give my dad a much-needed break, my wife and I decided to take Mom with us for the long weekend. We planned to stay until Monday, but as life often does, it had other plans.

Easter Sunday morning brought a moment I'll never forget. My mom, who I knew was struggling even in the early stages of what we believe is Alzheimer's, came to me. I sat with her on the bed as she started crying, telling me she needed help, that something was wrong, and she didn't know what it was. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see her so distressed and vulnerable.

Without an official diagnosis, it was tough to explain exactly what was happening. But I did my best to describe what I thought was going on, focusing more on reassurance than medical details. Most importantly, I told her, over and over again, that I would look after her and be with her until the end of her days. I truly hope those words brought her some comfort in that moment of confusion.

However, the decline in her cognition and her clear state of confusion were undeniable. It was so evident, in fact, that we made the difficult decision to cut our trip short and head home that very Sunday.

Witnessing her struggle so profoundly was incredibly tough, and this trip really brought home the full reality of her condition. It also deeply reinforced my commitment to being there for her, every single step of the way, no matter what comes next.

It's an ongoing journey, and I'm learning a lot as we navigate this.