My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about five years ago.

Mom fell and broke her hip the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. She recovered quickly — far faster than the doctors expected considering the brittleness of her bones. While she was hospitalized, we kids (there are five of us young-uns which is probably while Mom’s bones are shot), found out how shot Dad’s brain really is.

She came home and while physically seemed fine, she started doing some strange things like firing all of her helpers. She insisted she die not want anyone in her house and while she complained bitterly she could not take care of Dad herself, would not let anyone come help. Since June, her memory has become more and more like gauze. It takes a day or two, but she tends to forget what was discussed.

This is different from Dad who struggles to find words, forgets faces, believes he did things he did not do and has a convoluted concept of what is happening in present day as opposed to what has happened in the past.

Ironically, Mom is sharper in the morning and Dad is better at night.

But, Dad has also started to experience seizures. When it took 45 minutes to get an ambulance to the house and he then became combative at the nursing home where he was recovering; it became clear to Mom that the house and property were too big for her to handle and handle Dad as well.

My brother and sister found a really nice adult community that offers graduated levels of care. And Mom loved it. Dad not so much, but he does seem to want Mom to be safe (it upset him a lot when Mom was in the hospital). So, they signed the contract, sold off a bunch of stock and tomorrow the moving company is coming to gather their stuff into a moving van and carry it down to their new duplex

My Mom and my husband and I have spent the last two days isolating and identifying what will be moved and figuring out what will stay behind. Yesterday, I was tired by noon, but Mom was exhausted and we had to stop. Today, I brought my Mito2Max and we took at break at 10 a.m. for a coffee, a cookie and a Mito2Max. Today, we go more work done, she was more focused and we lasted until nearly 3 p.m. A big difference.

Per the family agreement, my husband and I will take over their old home. I’m the only one of the siblings that lives nearby and the only one who wants to live in the Northern Neck. My current home will be renovated and then rented or sold.

Once they are gone, we are going to take about a week to 10 days and inventory everything that remains. All of my siblings will have the opportunity to adopt items that remain at the house (other than things that convey with the house, like the appliances). We will draw straws or draw numbers when we have more than one person wanting something. What is left that no one wants (that isn’t straight trash) will be sold at a yard sale. We are going to sort of take our time as I’m pretty sure Mom has not taken some things she will want (like her art supplies) and a broom. Sort of strange to me some of the things she said she did not need or want.

Then I get to make my big move into their house. There is a lot of stuff I will also leave behind and my children will have the opportunity to come and pick over it. What is left will be sold at a yard sale.

Most of my mother’s work (beautiful colored pencils and watercolors) will be set up for an auction. Any money from their sale and her auction will go back to them.

And so, I’m doing preventative work for myself and everyday I’m taking Mito2Max, Long Living Vitality, Phytoestrogen, Bone Nutrient and lots of Frankincense essential oil. I want to keep my mind as sharp as I can for as long as I can.

By the way, I did complete a portrait of my father from a photo I took just after they signed the contract; I can see the wistful look as he gazes out at his beloved birdfeeders.