And another one gone...

I'm just feeling so defeated tonight.  Just so very defeated.  Each time another simple activity is scratched from our list of things that we can do, I start humming, "and another one gone and another one gone, another one bites the dust".

I found out 3 days ago (Friday night) that there would be a mandatory school orientation tonight (Monday).  I had no option but to take Mom to the meeting with us.  Mom was being very disruptive and argumentative.  She refused to sit down.  She was unable to lower her voice.  She accused the photographer of stealing her purse. She tried to pick up every coin that she saw on the carpet.  Unfortunately, the spots were dirty, ground-in pieces of gum.  When she was unable to pick them up, she very angrily yelled, "Now look what you did!  Now I have nothing!  That was MY only nickel and you took it!"  All of this was before the Pledge of Allegiance was even said.  Katie tried to take her outside and let her walk around.  That idea was met with failure, as well.  We left immediately after the principal introduced the first speaker.

The looks of pity and sympathy were almost worse than people changing seats to get away from us.  I walked from the auditorium with this stranger who, before this cruel disease took her away, would have done anything to avoid being the center of attention.  Some of the other parents gave me looks of such heartfelt sympathy that it broke my heart.  I was prepared to leave the room when my young children were disruptive. I am surprised at how much harder it was to do with my parent.