Cynthia Utley

I am Cynthia Alliece Utley, daughter of Claudia and the late Elsa Utley.  I am the proud  sister of Pam, William, and Kerwin.  Alzheimer’s has been known by many names throughout the years but its effects are still the same. Often times when memories are lost, a loved one becomes a shell of him or herself and what is left can prove very difficult for those who knew them to cope. It has been said, by some, of Alzheimer’s that the long goodbye can be more heart wrenching than if the loved one had, simply, died. But I don’t believe it. And that has not been my experience.

In the years that I have taken upon the full time responsibility of caring for my mother, there has been joy, pain, fears, confusion- yes all those things; but mostly the satisfaction of loving her each day until the creator decides it is her time to go.

The closest I have had to having children has been being the overprotective big sister of my siblings. In many respects I have been a caregiver my whole life helping several other elders in my life before circumstances brought me to care for Mama. I think my family has been blessed that we could come together to care for Mama in her senior years and I have been personally blessed by the encouragement of my siblings who have stood at the ready to assist.

Sometimes, with us all being in different states, it can get lonesome and even a little scary facing the responsibilities alone. The pitfalls can be many; but so are resources to get help, and, even greater, are the rewards of knowing your loved one is safe in loving care.

It is my hope that you will purchase my book and let me share my journey- my labor of love with Mama- a beautiful woman named Claudia who is the epitome of love.     Memories, Mama and Me:  A Caregiver’s Story let’s you into the world of being a caregiver and the importance of faith and family when taking on such a precious role in a loved one’s life.

Part journal, part advice, and part poetry, it is my sincere hope that by sharing with you my ups and downs and days of victory that you will come to know more about care-giving- not just the job; but the blessing it can truly be, if you let it.