Gale Simpson Gale Simpson

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. 


Our Mom has Alzheimer's. Many of you obviously are already aware of her battle with this disease, however, the progression of her disease and how she got where she is - most of you do not know. First I want to apologize for what may appear to be a lack of communication in regards to Mom's condition and the decisions that we had to make.  As I write this, it has not yet been a year since we lost Dad. What we know now and did not know then is that Mom has been struggling with this disease for many years. Dad lived every minute of every day trying to hide and protect her from others seeing the progression of her illness. If you know them, you know how typical of this is of who they were and how they loved each other. 


Once Daddy was gone it became very evident, very quickly how ill she was. Jani, as she has been for the last 3 years, cared for her day in and day out. This disease is not easy, or pretty, nor does it inspire sympathy or compassion. It makes other uncomfortable. Doctor after doctor after doctor with little help, no direction, no advice other than "this is typical of the disease".


In late September Mom began displaying more significant, disturbing and un-safe behaviors that prompted Jani to take her to the ER. She had a fever from an unknown infection and we were hopeful that this is what prompted the significant and drastic change. It was not. However, for the first time, she had an advocate in the social worker at the hospital. This young woman explained to us that Mom could not go home without 24 hour professional care, it just was not safe.  As incredible as this social worker was is guiding us through what to do and where to go, she could not stop the timeline of the insurance company and we were faced with literally 48 hours to find a place for Mom. This was made significantly more difficult based on the fact that she was a flight risk and needed to be placed in a secure unit. We had to cast a wide net - either close to Saint Charles or close to me. THAT is how she ended up down here by me! We literally had no other options in a very, very short time frame.


Buffalo Prairie is a small, incredibly clean and well run facility. Mom has adjusted well. She believes she is there "working" and does not know that it is a nursing home. She has a few friends that are at similar stages of the disease.  I am there at least 2-3 times a week although most of the time she introduces me as her sister, Linda. Jani as often as she can get here and Mom always recognizes Jani and asks her to sing. She is not sad, not angry, she is just in a world that is not this one. They are taking extraordinary care of her and we are grateful God lead us there. 


If you love her and want to know how she is doing, Jani and I will update this site as often as possible.