Caring for My Mom

We will get ready for bath talks, and they say, "No way, I'm just sitting and watching TV, I'm not dirty". "Me time" is gone. If I have any, it's from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. I'm the one who said I'll take care of my 90-year-old mom, we are not sending her to a nursing home.

As the years went on, my mom got meaner. Today she threw a Pringles can full of Pringles at me, it looked like a Pringles war zone. I couldn't help but laugh to myself as I cleaned them up. This is all over a bath.

What caregiving looks like

When she dies at 120 years old I'm crying at her funeral, I loved her so much. I bet I'll start laughing at all the great stories about mean Jeannine.

My brother and sister will not help me at all. If they would help, my mom would not even let them in the door. She hates them, I don't know why.

You have to have a routine for yourself. I threw my mom's routine out the window.

Every day there is a different mom; I just roll with it. You can't get mad at your parents. You have to have a calm house at all times. Now you have to be strong to help pick them up or lift them. Now I'm telling you all there's 24/7 house cleaning; I don't want to say this, but our parents can be messy, like a 2-year-old; make sure you pick up their poo-poo diapers.

Now I'm not trying to scare anyone who is going to care for their parents, you just have to have patience with them and remember they took care of us.

Loving my mother

My dad died 51 years ago on May 24th a week before my 11th birthday. June 5th my mom was 39 years old, beautiful, and never remarried. One week before my dad died, he asked us kids if he should die, to please take care of mom. I said, "I will daddy".

There is one thing that I'm proud of, and it is myself. I'm always proud to be the daughter of my father and mother. As I'm writing this for all of the people in my shoes, I surround myself with my dogs and cats. They make my life better and my mom loves them too.

If my mom ever forgets my name that's ok, I will answer to anything: mud, hey girl, nurse, maid, doctor, or Lori.

I almost forgot, it takes an act of God to get her to the doctor, but that is another long story where I almost landed in jail.

I do everything for her now

My mother was a great mom, she loved my dad with all her heart, she made Christmas and our birthdays wonderful. She was amazing around the house, our house was spotless.

In 2007, my brother wanted me to take care of her. I went but she was not ready for me, so I got a trucking job with a friend, which was great because I could check up on her a lot. In 2014 my brother said, "Lori I need you home". Now I was in California waiting on a load out to Texas; got there on May 15, 2014, my last day on the Big Rig.

The more things she can do, the meaner she gets; she loves her independence. Well, I do everything for her now. Her short term memory is gone and long term is only bad now.

Remember our parents loved us; if you can do this job for them, then you can do anything in life. This is hard, sad, and sometimes so funny you pee your pants.

I'm not perfect

If anyone reads my story, I'm not perfect, this is not my first rodeo. I had an 800lb husband I did everything for. It's almost the same, except he still knows my name and I put him in a nursing home. He was the worst husband ever.

My name is Lori. I just got over cancer for the 3rd time in my life. I have had Parkinson's disease since I was 31. I have great doctors in Texas, without them, I could never do this job for my mom. I love her with all my heart.

This is our story.