Newf:

I've been through it twice in the past year... My dad's Alzheimers disease began progressing sharply around Christmas the year before last, and he went into a decline, and passed away this past New Year's. We went through hospitalization, home care, and hospice for the last five months or so.

Then my mom fell and broke her right hip the first of last month. She bounced back pretty quickly for being 79, and has been released to go home about a month ago. She's doing fine, needs a fair bit of watching after, and the home health care folks have fits because of her wanting to do things her way, and her pet poodles. In turn, they give me fits because she doesn't always folow their instructions. "Do you think she minds me any better than she does you?" So far, I'm (and she's) making it pretty well...

It's hard. Very hard. And sometimes the things you have to do to help them and protect them will tear your heart apart, especially when there's dementia involved.

I'm single, and after the past year I have a pact with my sisters (both out of state) than if anything like that ever happens to me, they'll put me down like an old hound dog. I don't want to be a burden like that to anyone...

Tom