Coping with changes
My mum had a stroke a few months ago, it wasn't her first, however, it was the first time a stroke as left an obvious effect and both mum and I are finding it hard to cope with some of the changes.
As a result of her stroke, my mum has lost a lot of her hearing and her speech is different. So there are things I just can't do with her anymore that I miss doing, I can't share music with her anymore, she cannot hear it. I can't ring her to tell her the exciting things that happen at university or ask her questions over the phone when I need her advice. We both have trouble understanding each other at times. Mum misses working and is struggling to accept not working her 4 am - 3 pm job every day and I know she is struggling to accept that people are treating her differently due to the way she talks.
There are also personality differences now too.
Ever since I was little my mum has always been the "water off a duck's back" "let's make a joke of bad situation" kind of person, always very cheerful and could handle my teenage temperamental behaviour. When my health problems started she'd joke about the situation, make me see the funny side of the things I couldn't control which helped me to accept my condition. Now I see my mum regularly getting upset and crying over little things, like accidentally knocking over something I stupidly put in the way or someone pointing to their head in a particular way. Things she would never be upset over before.
All this is very hard to deal with. I just want to support my mum the best way I can. Be there for her the same way she has always been here for me.