Thankful Thursday

Today, like most days can be was a little hard on me.  I actually heard my mother say these words: I want to die.

Mom was going through an episode and felt that she was in danger, she thought people wanted to kill her and she then said, "and I want to die".

This hurt me so much - although knowing mom wasn't in a moment of clarity, I still took it seriously and to heart so I sat and talked with her trying to figure out exactly why she was saying these things.

Throughout our conversation I told mom she had Dementia, and read her the definition of the illness and let her know that she was feeling, hearing, seeing and thinking these horrible things because of her illness.  I then told mom to focus on all of her blessings in life and she became a little more calm.  We started naming all of the things in her life that have made her happy then I told her it would be a good idea to do that everyday and to follow the list of happiness by thanking god.  She did.  She said a prayer and thanked god.  I told her thank him some more...over and over again, every day....I told her to keep thanking him.  I don't know, but afterwards mom was wearing a crooked smile and I asked her if she felt better and she said she did - I know it was true.  Thanking god for what we have and who we are, what we were, who we will be is a huge blessing.  We are blessed and we are thankful.