memory loss

Beloved son and I visited my mum yesterday. She was delighted to see us and quite a lively conversationalist within her own paremeters; she looked well, although very skinny, and seemed quite settled. The staff assured me that she was eating all her meals and 'no bother'. Ironic, innit, my mother the Queen of Bother, now one of the less challenging residents, lol.

Mum's memory loss fluctuates, its as though past events haven't been completely erased, just hidden from view. Like an ancient neglected wood, paths to memory glades have overgrown with impenetrable bramble thickets, only the well worn tracks staying open. Yet every now and then a path will unexpectedly open up and reveal a clearing bathed in sunshine - yesterday mum mentioned for the first time in ages that her older sister had died when she was quite young, a fact that came unprompted out of the blue. She still didn't remember that all her other siblings have passed on, or her father. Another odd thing happened yesterday. When one of the residents asked mum who BS was, mum quickly responded "this is my grandson, (BS name)". When asked who I was, she replied "this is my niece"! Maybe my losing weight has confused her and that's why she doesn't give me a hard time any more, because she doesn't identify me with the dreadful daughter of yore?!