Surprises | Alzheimer’s in the First Person | Melissa Vaughan

My mother has been writing me little notes, simple little notes, because she can not write very well anymore. She hides them everywhere, hoping I will find them. I think she began doing it, hoping that years from now I will find the notes tucked away in her things and remember her and smile. Today I found a little note written in pencil tucked in the drawer in the bathroom. It said, “Remember when we went to McDonald’s together, I will never forget…”

Another note was in her pocket, I found it when I was getting ready to do the wash, it said, barely legible, “Never forget how much I loved you my sunshine…” I told her tonight I had found them, she giggled and said, “Oh I didn’t hide them very well did I?” She patted my hand and said, “I just never want you to forget me or to be sad, I always want you to look forward to a surprise from me…”I hugged her extra long tonight, I whispered to her, “You are always a surprise mommy, always a wonderful surprise.”