People and family say I look like my Mom. Just a few short months ago I was having breakfast with my Dad and his good friend and he turned to my Dad and said, " she resembles Irene" I said thank you for the nice compliment. When I was younger I hated those words,, "You look like your Mom" I confess it was difficult for me because I wanted to be my own person. My Mom knew this too. Ever since I can remember my Mom always had her hair in place, lipstick on and dressed to walk out the door in a moments notice. She has not been that person for quite sometime the above mentioned no longer exists.
My Mom was diagnosed with Huntington's Disease about five years ago. I remember the day I took her to the doctor's office and talked with the nurse practitioner. My Mom was so unaware of her body movements, discussing the issue was more difficult than I realized. After that visit it took almost two years to actually receive a final diagnosis. The ordeal tormented me. I had read all the material and literature on the disease and realizing that there's a fifty percent chance that I could have the disease made the situation unbearable. I finally talked with a pyschiatrist a couple of years ago and got my head on straight - ( for now ).
I visit my mom at least twice a month and though her appearance is not the same, her humor is unbelievable ( meds can help). I've learned to surrender the situation, no expectations. I sit with her and read and what happens from that point on takes on a life of it's own. She loves to talk about her trips with a man she lived with for several years ( no longer in the picture) and I'm thankful she was able to see some of the country. I told her I had better get started if I'm going to catch up with her. She loves animals, always has...she repeats herself sometimes but I do too. She tells me a story of a turtle they found and how they took it home and then had to turn it loose in a nearby creek. She enjoys watching the birds and squirrels from her window. She has a bird in her room, her name is Pretty Girl. I keep my distance from her.
So, I mention all this because today during our visit I spotted a picture christmas card from my daughter and I asked Mom if she recognized the family and she said yes. I held the card in front of her and said who is this: pointing at Sweet Tater and she said that's Trish. I named all the family members in the photo and she said, "what?" she thinks Sweet Tater and Trish switched bodies. My point exactly, family resemblences. Grandma Irene said they are a good looking family. She just didn't realize Trish is all grown up.
One of the last things Sweet P and I did together was take a ride over to Eisley's Nursery and she helped me pick out a Hall's Honeysuckle. I planted it the day we took her back to meet her Dad in Dixon. I have always loved Honeysuckle and not that I needed to plant one to remember her but it makes for a great memory of her visit. I realized how much she's growing up with her own points of few on subjects such as cell phones, relationships, books and life in general. With that being said she hasn't grown an inch since February according to our wall chart. I'm very thankful her Dad gave up some of his precious days with her so she could spend time with us. 
