Helen wrote:
Dearest Hon and Sister:
Am sending you a copy of the e-mail I have just sent to Nanci- some will not be relevent for you but the part about Don and Thelma is. Hope you don't mind- I just didn't want to put it all in writing again. I did ask Don for his permission to let you folks and Eva know- He said it was okay- he just doesn't want having alot of phone calls about it. He said he only wants to talk about it when Thelma isn't home, which isn't very ofter. He did say she just doesn't want to be alone any more and if he is out snowblowing the dirve and sidewalk or such, she will come out every few minutes to be sure he is okay and why it is taking him so long. When they go grocery shopping they have the list of items to get- Thelma does check them off and then forgets so they end up with alot more of some of the items. Don just lets it go and said, almost jokingly, at least their food storage is increasing. Thank you again for the special book for Christmas- the card and christmas letter. Have a really special New Year. So pleased to know how things are going for Crayden. Love you folks so much. Thanks for being you. Love Helen
----- Original Message -----
From: helen trauntvein
To: nanci t done
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 10:04 PM
My beloved daughter: so much for which to be thankful for.
Thank you for each item of complete thoughtfulness and consideration for meaning for each christmas gift and the card.
Thank you for all of your calls.
Thankyou for your beautiful daughter- she and I had a very good day this day. It worked out , I picked her up from the Dones as 11 a.m. today- we went to Red Lobster for a scrumptuous lunch which included what else ??? Lobster of course. Then by her request we went to the Fashion Place Mall and enjoyed-- Nikki was coming to pick her up about 4 p.m. so we arrived back to Dones about 2:45 p.m. It was such a pleasure to have share our thoughts and some rememberances. She is quite a young lady-- Thank you so kindly for the gift certificate to the Red Lobster, as always this is very thoughtful of you and is most appreciated.
We have had more snow and forcast is for more. We had so much up here on the east bench, with the storm and the lake effect we are literally buried. I LOVE IT !!!!
Thank you so much for the pictures- they are special. They really are "real" people aren't they ??
Auntie called back yesterday and told me the christmas card she had told me came from Judy and Bob wasn't from them. It was from someone whose address back east she wasn't familiar with.
Sweetie, what I now share with you, at least for right now, can only be put in writing as it is toohard to talk about.
I called Uncle Don and Aunt Thelma yesterday to thank them for the christmas gift they sent me. Aunt Thelma was at the temple so Uncle Don was alone. We spoke about a few things for a while and then with a pause Uncle Don said he needed to talk with me about Aunt Thelma and what is happening. We cried and spoke for about one hour. Aunt Thelma has recently been diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimers (?) spelling- Dr. Stone told Uncle Don even though it is in the early stages is is advancing quickly. Uncle Don is just heartbroken and devastated. He said Hon what am I to do- He said he hasn't told the family yet as he didn't want to have it affect their christmas- then through choked tears he said- "I don't know how to tell Thelma".
He reminded me that quite a few years ago Aunt Thelma had worked, or maybe it was volunteered at a nursing home in Logan called the Sunshine Terrace. She really loved it and caring for the folks there. Uncle Don said there were quite a few patients she cared for who had Alzheimers- and she always said if she ever had it she would just want to die.
He said her short term memory is really affected- but she can remember in detail things from the past.
He apologized for putting this heavy burden on me and all I could do was thank him for letting me know and having his permission to let Auntie, and Uncle Tim and Aunt Myrna know, and to reassure him this is really what family is about- is to share in any way possible the burdens and heartaches of each one and do what ever can.
I asked him to call me any time if he just needs to talk or if I can come up and help in any way. I told him as soon as weather permits I will come more often and visit with them.
He is so devasted. They were married 50 yrs. ago this March past.
Oh, my dear--I feel so surreal can't imagine how Uncle Don feels. I did ask him if Aunt Thelma realizes she is having short term memory loss and he said she does and she is so frustrated- I told him this must be very frightening to her also.
Well, my dear daughter, I will close for tonight but wanted to let you know all of the above as I just couldn't call and tell you about Aunt Thelma, this has touched me so deeply for her and for my beloved brother. What devastation and a complete ending of life as it has bee for so long and what changes and challenges to come.
I think I told you some time ago that our beloved friend Pat Jensen also has Alzheimers- ( I did look this word up in the dictionary for spelling- but if one doesn't know how to spell a word how do they find it???? Right--of course right.
Thank you again for the wonderful gifts in all 39 years of our sojourn together--MOST OF ALL FOR THE WONDERMENT OF YOU IN MINE. I love you ever so dearly.
Your Mom
Todd wrote: Not good news.
Myrna wrote: She has always been such a strength to her family. I had the idea, mistaken I now know, that if you stayed active and worked your brain, you had less of a chance of getting this dread disease. Thelma has always studied the gospel and worked at the temple. That requires a lot of memory. I am sad.
Love, M
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