Silver lining: June 21

Hello All! Let me catch you up on what's been happening in my life the last few days. Last Thursday night my mom was reported missing. She had been told by her dr that she should not be living alone, suggested she go to a nursing home, that her dementia had gotten much worse and that she should not be driving. When she failed to show up at her house, my sisters reported her missing and a Silver Alert went out. Friday morning she was found sleeping in her car in a business parking lot in Hillsboro, an hour and a half drive from her home in Killeen. I headed south from Carrollton at the same time my sister, Lynne, and her friend, Ruby, headed north. We found her to be safe but determined to drive herself home. Long story short, it took 3 police officers to talk her into getting into Lynne's car (Ruby drove Mom's car). We drove her to the emergency room at Scott and White hospital in Temple to have her swollen knee (which is why she went to the dr in the first place) looked at. She spent the night there and was released the next day. After a flurry of calls back and forth between us siblings, it was determined that we did not want her returning to her home. Lynne graciously offered to take mom home until we could figure out the best plan for her. As Lynne and Carol drove mom to Round Rock, my sister, Jeanne, my brother, Terry, and I went to mom's house to get a twin bed, clothes and other necessities that Mom would need. We set her up in a bedroom in Lynne's house, and then drove back to Killeen to start the HUGH task of cleaning out her house. You see, my mom has lived in a 33oo sq ft house for 38 years and has accumulated a ton of stuff. On top of that there is also a 'mother-in-law's' house on her 3 acres that will need to be cleaned out. So, what's the silver lining, you ask? Because of all that has happened, we finally have enough leverage to go to court to get guardianship of my mom so that we can get her the help that she needs and place her in a nursing home where she will have daily interaction with people. We have a lot of work to do in the meantime but, praise God, everything is falling into place. I am still in Killeen, continuing the process of cleaning out mom's house. I continue to be blessed with the friendship and help from my good friend, Mary, who is visiting her dad, and working right alongside with us. I must go home soon, as I leave for Costa Rica Saturday to attend Spanish immersion school.

Chao for now,
Dawnie