Chapter 8: Maybe We Should See A Doctor

December 2022

So, dad and I have been talking…and I’ve been updating my sister…and perhaps it’s time we went to see a doctor. Something might actually be wrong with mom.

Mom is clearly starting to struggle with her memory. But it’s weird because it’s so inconsistent. Some days, it’s like there’s absolutely nothing wrong. And then other days…it’s like something has become unglued. I really don’t know how to describe it.

Dad is doing a lot of reading. I am trying to find some articles too. It’s a little crazy how little information there is about this on the Alberta Health Services website. Maybe that’s because this is a really rare condition. If it is, it seems very unfair that any of this is happening to mom. She is so healthy and she has lived the type of life that doctors love to hold up as an example of how to age. She’s still fit and exercises nearly every day, she loves to do crosswords specifically to keep her mind sharp, she is still constantly involved in all kinds of musical endeavours – sure, she’s not teaching piano anymore – but she still volunteers with the church and any other place where a pianist and/or singer is needed. She’s awesome with the kids – as they’re approaching adolescence, they’re certainly keeping all of us on our toes! She’s not exactly crazy about new technologies, but she can use her computer and her phone…

Dad and I are increasingly of the opinion that there may be something to this “Mild Cognitive Impairment” idea. I suppose it would be good to be validated by a doctor, but on the other hand – what’s the point? There doesn’t really appear to be any treatment for it and best case scenario, this is just what mom has to deal with for the rest of her life. Ugh.

Mom has had the same doctor for quite a few years now. But I don’t know – sometimes mom says the doctor doesn’t quite listen to her concerns. I don’t like that. My doctor is awesome. I might ask him if he can see mom after Christmas. To do what, I don’t know. But I think whatever mom is dealing with is slowly becoming something bigger than I have been wanting to believe.

It’s awful – this process of realizing your parents are actually getting “old.” I don’t like it one bit.

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