The weather is absolutely perfect today; sunny with a cool breeze blowing and low humidity. Mom and I sat outside for nearly 2 hours enjoying the weather and the company of our neighbors. Even Olivia came out in her kittywalk. I think Lily was jealous, so next time I need to make sure that Lily gets outside too. Yesterday was Lily's 9th birthday. She had to go have a blood test at the vet. We are monitoring her hypercalcemia. She was not happy about it. We've also started her on Cosequin for her joints. It's a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement that is sprinkled on the the food. She's been looking a little stiff lately. She's also lost a little weight which is hopefully from all the exercise that she gets playing with Olivia.

Getting Mom to and from the bathroom is really hard. She rarely makes it on time and she complains about how much it hurts to walk. I hope I can make it. Poor Mom has lost so much independence. I think I could deal if it was just the ALZ but throw in the inability to walk and the incontinence and it's pretty much impossible for me to care for her as well as she deserves. Betsy, I understand now why your well went dry. We are doing laundry on a daily basis, sometimes more than once in a day.

Lily's calcium is still elevated. I am taking her back for more blood work on Saturday. The vet mentioned hyperparathyroidism or idiopathic hypercalcemia. I googled both of those. I'm still not sure what's up. I just want her to be OK.

Today I was thinking about the signs that should have warned me that something was up with Mom. Mom had notes to herself everywhere; in the kitchen, in her bedroom and next to her chair in the den. These notes consisted of things such as the birth dates and ages of her children, characters in her favorite TV shows and even the warning signs for Alzheimer's. I've found many of these notes throughout the house and her personal papers. Mom would always cry when I would leave for home after a visit. Now I know why; she was afraid of being alone. She needed help with so many things that she had handled easily before. She started having trouble balancing her checkbook. It was difficult for her to learning anything new. Once Christmas we kids gave her a mailstation which allowed her to receive email. She couldn't figure out how to use it even after I showed her dozens of times how to do so.

Today is my brother's birthday. He turned 50. Mom and I called him to wish him a happy day. Next year I wonder if Mom will remember her children? I hate this disease.