Memory:Why is it so Complicated and so Sporatic?

I have been bringing Mom strawberries for the last several weeks. Mom has always loved strawberries and down through the years, I remember growing, picking and canning them. I learned to love strawberries also! As I mentioned, I have been bringing her strawberries for a couple of weeks and we have been enjoying them together. We have been talking about all of the things we did around strawberries and have had many laughs about those times. Today when I brought the strawberries she said "I was wondering when you would bring some strawberries, I have bee hungry for them." Now this was surprising since I have been bringing them almost daily for several weeks. Mom is becoming more and more unable to save her more recent memories.

We know that the hipocampus, located in the center of the brain, is a big part of the "save as " function of the brain. As Alzheimer's Disease progresses and the hipocampus becomes more and more affected, the person becomes increasingly unable to save their memories. Now this is very deceiving as the hipocampas will hold the memory for 24-48 hours and sometimes longer. So something the person remembers from 2 days ago will be lost on the 3rd or 4th day. When someone remembers for several days, but then cannot remember that event later, it is confusing or even seems feels like the person with dementia "is not trying". It may even seem like the loved one is out to confuse or make "fun of us". The contrary is true, it is just becoming more and more diffucult for the person to remember.

My advise and the advise I live by, is to rejoice when Mom remembers and let it go when she does not. It is the disease and its devistation at work. Mom and I have had fun with the strawberries, but she is not remembering this today. That's okay because the smiles and the laughs were helpful for her even if she does not remember them. A tough, complicated concept, but an important principle for all of us to internalize so we can move on as the disease progresses.

God bless you and may she keep you in the pam of Her hand.