Crayon Art by Nana B

I began crayon art several years ago when I wanted to de-stress after a busy day.  I didn't think of it as art, I called it "doodling", just scratching out shapes and coloring.

Sometime ago my sister moved to Alabama to care for my mother who had Alzheimer's.  It soon became apparent she would need help, so I moved from Florida to help her.  The job was far greater and more stressful than either of us imagined.  Mother was physically strong, but could not engage in normal activities or reason which frustrated her, so she constantly paced back and forth throughout the house.  Daily verbal and physical outbursts were common and there was little we could do to calm her.

However, the only time she would sit quietly for some period was when I read the Bible to her or when I colored.  Mother would sit beside me watching, and at times she would pick up a crayon and attempt to draw -- and sometimes she'd try to eat a crayon.

After she passed I realized how much my art had evolved.  God had given me a gift that I not only enjoyed but also it had allowed me to cope with a difficult situation.

And then there was Thomas...

For me the move alone was emotionally and financially draining.  I had left my children, my precious granddaughters, my business, my friends: my life.  I discovered rather quickly the difficulty of communicating with my family either by phone or letter.  What could I say?  My life was in turmoil, my emotions were wracked with fear of the unknown, and I was depressed.    Surprisingly a way was provided in the form of a lost kitten: 

"Thomas was an ordinary cat that showed up at a not-so-ordinary- time."  So begins the first of many Thomas stories that helped me communicate with my family.

                                                                                   

Just like everyone else on September 11, 2001 I was glued to the television watching the disaster unfold, but also I was waiting to hear back from my sister.  She was trying to track down my brother who is an airline pilot.  We didn't know if he was working that day.   It took awhile to find him, but we were relieved, he was not working that day.  Yet, as everyone else, we remained shaken.

                                                                       
                                                                            

Thank you for visiting my blog site. In the following weeks I will introduce you to the Thomas Chronicles, a remarkable story of how a kitten's innocence formed a bridge in  my relationship with my mother,  an Alzheimer's patient, during a critical time. I look forward to sharing my story and artwork with the hope that they will encourage others who are struggling with the demands of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's.