Cancer

Back in August Dad was performing his daily morning routine of getting Mom up and out of bed. While he was helping her get dressed he felt a weird lump on her chest that wasn't there before. During her next doctor's visit Dad made sure to mention the new lump. Mom's doctor had a biopsy performed. She's been diagnosed with breast cancer. This is on top of all her other health problems. Her Alzheimer's is rapidly gaining more ground so Mom is becoming more and more difficult to talk to. She is mentally degrading much faster.

I find myself thinking over and over about how Mom didn't deserve any of this. I wonder when it's going to stop, and what will happen next.

My father continues to ignore the rest of us completely when it comes to advice. He's always combative, his ears are closed. You either agree with him or you are the enemy. I was talking with my uncle about this situation the other day and he told me, "Every attempt to help was taken as he's not doing a good job caring. It's always a negative. Since then he has taken away opportunities to help." For a while now Dad's actions have struck me as he's trying to isolate Mom from the rest of the family. Dad has also been lying to me more often about what he is and is not doing for Mom's care.

Later this week I will be speaking with Adult Protective Services in Boise, Idaho and making an appointment with an attorney who specializes in Elder Law.