Wonder what THAT tastes like

A friend posted on FaceBook: Gravy on pancakes. That is all.

I seriously wondered if she was having breakfast with Mom.

Since on onset of dementia Mom has embraced some unusual food combinations. Marmalade on French fries.  Ketchup on pancakes. Our granddaughter was grossed out when she dipped shrimp into vanilla pudding. I watched her eat an entire restaurant cup of sour cream while waiting for her taco salad.

That's not our mother.

I can't imagine being so far gone mentally I won't  recognize food. Or know how to eat it.

And it's a shame Mom has lost touch with food as our family celebrations seem to center around food.

Mom came to our house for Thanksgiving. When my sister told her a few days beforehand they would be coming here for dinner, Mom was quite excited. Thanksgiving day she wasn't so sure what the day was or why everyone was in our dining room. We have our good days and bad days. Thanksgiving was a mediocre day. We ate early and she was ready to leave by 1:30. We had estimated she would last until 2 p.m. Our estimations were close.

As much as Mom has forgotten, she still knew she liked cranberry relish. And yes, she still enjoyed it smothered over her turkey. She always has. Perhaps her new-found food combinations are simply a matter of experimentation.

We can joke about it, but who would have thought it would come down to this?

Years and years ago I was an editor of a senior citizen's magazine. I worked closely with Senior Services in Kalamazoo. I did countless interviews and wrote countless articles on how to deal with aging parents.  I remember thinking: "But not my parents. They are so vibrant. They are so healthy."

Mom and Dad were healthy and vibrant. Dad downhill skied until he was 82. Mom stayed  active in their church. They walked for exercise. They had gym memberships.

But aging plays dirty, and it plays for keeps.

Dad died from complications of old age and Mom is losing her mind. Who would have guessed?

My sisters and I often talk about our concerns for our own mental health. We wonder if this is something we are destined for as well. Our mother read and kept active. Mom ate healthy. Her cholesterol and blood pressure were good. Still, she lost her mind.What about us?

It's a sobering thought.

Oh, and just for the record . . . I have loved dill pickles dipped in sugar since I was pregnant with our first son.