The Forgotten Flowers

It was a beautiful day outside, and the sun was shining brightly. The birds were singing, and the flowers were in bloom. Spring had arrived and it was the perfect day to buy flowers. Ellena didn’t have to work until later that afternoon, so she decided to take a walk to the florist in the village, to buy some flowers for her mother. It had been on her mind for a while to get her mother flowers. She had been feeling down and wasn't as happy as she normally was.

As Ellena walked into The Wilted Rose, she was immediately greeted by a friendly florist called Louise. Louise asked Ellena what kind of flowers she was looking for, and Ellena told her that she wanted to get her mother some spring flowers.

Louise showed Ellena some tulips, and Ellena quickly decided to purchase them as they were her mother’s favourite flower. She tied a ribbon around the tulips to create a beautiful bouquet.

Ellena was pleased with her purchase, and she knew that her mother would love the flowers. She thanked the florist and walked out of the store.

As Ellena walked home, she thought about how much she loved her mother. She was so grateful for everything she had done for her and wanted to do something special to show her how much she appreciated her.

Ellena knew that her mother would love the flowers, and she couldn't wait to give them to her. She couldn't wait to see the look on her mother's face when she saw the beautiful bouquet of roses.

When Ellena got to her mother’s house, she could see her mother in the window. She seemed to be staring out into the street but not really seeing anything. Ellena knocked on the door and took a few steps back to look through the window again. Her mother was still standing there. She knocked gently on the window, so as not to startle her. 

Her mother woke from the trance-like state that she was in and acknowledged Ellena, but she had a confused look on her face. 

As her mother answered the door, Ellena smiled and handed her the flowers. Her mother was so happy. She loved them, and she thanked Ellena for such a beautiful gift.

Ellena put the tulips in a vase for her mother and placed them on her window-ledge. She had to get to work, so she said goodbye and walked home to freshen up and get her car. On the drive to work, she couldn’t help but think about the confused look on her mother’s face when she saw her outside the window. Normally, Ellena only visited her mother once a week, but she decided that she would check in on her again tomorrow.

The next morning, Ellena got herself ready and walked to her mother’s house. Just like yesterday, the sun was shining and the birds were chirping. Ellena was considering asking her mother to go for a walk with her. As she approached the house, she felt a feeling of unease that she couldn’t explain. She could see the tulips in the window as she walked up the garden path.

Her mother answered the door with a smile and greeted her as normal. Ellena suggested a walk and her mother was happy to go. They started by walking down her street, waving to the neighbours as they passed by. The houses were all well-maintained, and the yards were neat and tidy. Ellena could hear the sound of children playing in the distance, and she smiled to herself.

After a few blocks, they came to a park. Ellena decided to sit on a bench and let her mother take a break. The park was full of people enjoying the day and they could hear the sound of birds singing in the trees. Ellena closed her eyes and listened to the sounds around her, feeling at peace.

After a few minutes, she opened her eyes and realised her mother had started to walk. She called after her, but she seemed confused as if she had forgotten what they were doing. Ellena suggested that they make their way home. They walked through the park and then turned onto a different street. This street was lined with trees, and the air was cool and shady. They walked slowly. Ellena enjoyed the feeling of the sun on her face and the wind in her hair.

After a while, they came to a bridge that crossed the river, Loux. A glimpse of the river below drew Ellena's attention. The water was clear and blue, and she could see fish swimming in the current. She talked to her mother about the fish and laughed when she couldn’t see them without her glasses. Ellena took a deep breath and smiled before continuing their route home.

As they walked, Ellena thought about what a good day it had been. She had enjoyed the sunshine, the fresh air, and the peace and quiet of the park. It was a blessing for her to be able to take a walk with her mother and enjoy the beauty of nature with her. They were nearing her mother’s house, and Ellena saw a dog waiting for his owner on the front porch. He jumped up and down when his owner got out of his car. Ellena smiled and asked her mother if she had seen the event. She said that she had and that the man’s name was David. He had recently returned from military deployment and his dog had missed him terribly. She explained that he waits outside the house daily for him to return from his local base. Ellena thought that was super cute. She walked with her mother to her front door and then said goodbye, as she had to leave for work.

A few days passed, and Ellena decided it was time to visit her mother again. As she walked up the garden path, she noticed that the tulips were wilting. As they were drinking tea together, she asked her mother if she had been watering them. Her mother seemed to go into a state of worry. She couldn’t remember if she had been watering the tulips. Ellena explained it was nothing to worry about and that she would water them for her whilst she was there. 

Another few days passed, and Ellena was sitting with her mother in the living room when her mother suddenly looked up at her and asked who she was.

Ellena was stunned. She told her mother who she was, but she seemed perplexed. Ellena felt her heart sink. She had been getting worse, and she thought it was time to get her mother seen by a doctor. Ellena said goodbye with tears in her eyes. She felt heartbroken that her mother had forgotten her. She walked home and made the call. 

A few days later, Ellena was sitting with her mother in the living room again, when she suddenly looked up at her and said her name. Ellena looked at her, slightly surprised. Her mother smiled and told her that she loved her. She called her Ellie Rose, which was what she used to call her when she was a little girl. Ellena was so happy that her mother had remembered her. She hugged her mother tightly and told her how much she loved her. 

Weeks passed by and Ellenar had been anxiously waiting for the doctor to come back to her about her Mother but trying to continue life as normal. When the diagnosis finally came, Ellena knew that she had to face reality. She had to learn how to care for her mother, and she had to learn how to deal with the changes that the disease would bring.

It wasn't easy. There were days when Ellena felt overwhelmed and exhausted. There were days when she wondered if she was doing the right thing. But she never gave up. She knew that her mother needed her, and she was determined to give her the best possible care. Ellena’s mother moved in and lived with her for the next few years. Ellena took care of all of her mother's needs, from cooking and cleaning to bathing and dressing. She also took her to doctor's appointments and made sure that she took her medication. The disease progressed slowly, and her mother eventually had to move to a nursing home. But even in the nursing home, Ellena continued to visit her mother every day. She would read to her, hold her hand, and just be there for her.

One beautiful spring day, Ellena took her mother some tulips. She had got them from The Wilted Rose just as she always did. Her mother told her she didn’t like flowers and that she never had, and she got quite angry and upset. Ellena still put them in a vase and left them on her bedside table in hopes that the next day, she would wake up and remember that they were her favourite flowers.

The next day, Ellena got the call she was dreading. Her mother had passed away peacefully in the night. Ellena was heartbroken, but she knew that she had done everything she could for her. She loved her mother unconditionally, and she had given her the best possible care.

Ellena’s story is a reminder that dementia is a difficult disease for both the person who has it and the family living with them, but with love and support, people with dementia can live full and meaningful lives.