I've signed up for the November Priority Hope Challenge for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, partly because my mother suffered with this, but also because making little quilts is a nice way to learn techniques and play with fabric.
My first try at this will be hard to give away - I like it! It reminds me of the way my mother remembered things and forgot things, and how she remained cheerful even when she used the wrong words without noticing. She loved gardens and flowers, and remained a bright spot in my life even when her mind slowly slid off the edges.
My mother had Alzheimers. Even with her dementia, she kept her sweet spirit and sense of humor. I miss her and wish she could see the wonderful quilts that my blogging friends make, and how many people care about those with this disease and use their quilts to express it. Click on the purple patch for more information.
Mom and Dad lived with us in 1994-95. In that time and the nearly ten years she lived beyond it, I learned a great deal from her about how to face life's challenges. She couldn't remember the names of things, and near the end became disassociated from her own self, but she always remembered family and never stopped being an incredibly adaptable person. One of her sayings sticks with me: "I've been through a lot... I can handle this too."
