This story is about my mothers slide into Dementia.
A strong, socially active person, Ofelia was the epitome of a Cuban woman: great cook, provider, wife, mother and grandmother. Her infectious smile and hands-on demeanor made her the center of our family.
In 2015, when she was a spry 86 year old, things began to change.
She could no longer remember how to cook her mother's Galician dishes, and would constantly repeat things. But, worse of all, her youthful, energetic spirit was no longer there. Her face changed. Her body did too. My mother was fading away, and only scant flashes of her former,loving self would sporadically emerge. This dynamic changed the way we were as a family. We counted on her to do things for us, counsel us or listen to her stories.
No longer the center, my mother became a memory of the days when she was in happy control.
We are now in control, and it doesn't feel right. But life goes on.