Alzheimer's is a particularly horrendous disease. It consumes a person's body taking hostage their mind, memories, and any semblance of a normal life. Each day they live, they loose a piece of themselves. It is a loss that will never be returned. The disease is a defeat, a sad loss for everyone involved. Alzheimer's changes family members and caretakers. It brings out the best and the worst in people, no one remains unscathed.
Mama and Daddy moved to Missouri a few years before she got sick. We had a good time together. I will always be grateful for the memories we acquired during that time. One of my favorite memories happened while Melodi was playing basketball.
Mama never cared for sports of any kind. Miz Betty's hobbies were shopping, cooking, eating out and shopping...did I mention shopping??? She loved to do these things. When Mama and Daddy moved to Fulton, Mo. from Kentucky our lives revolved around basketball. It was Melodi's freshman year in high school. She worked hard and earned a starting position on the varsity team. As a rule, she was the point guard for the North Callaway Ladybirds. She was an awesome player. From the time she entered high school, Melodi was scouted by college teams.
Melodi worked hard at basketball because she loved the sport and being on a team. My mother could not understand this at all. She thought this was a big mistake. She didn't like the practices Melodi had each day. To Mama they were too 'hard and long'. Mama also did not like the coach or "all that running" Melodi and the other girls had to do. She worried about Melodi's "ovaries" all the time.
We had many arguments over Melodi and basketball. She seldom went to any of her games. When she did go, I usually ended up wishing she had stayed home. One night we were playing a team just about as good as the Ladybirds. Melodi got in foul trouble in the first half. This was not good for our team. Mama was delighted!! When the coach took Melodi out of the game, Mama stood up and gave the only standing ovation in the crowd. I pulled her back down and told her this was not a good thing and she should not be so happy. Her reply was "I am glad he took her out. She is hot and tired...and she needs a drink of water. Let some of those other little girls play." Then she popped back up and cheered some more. She got Melodi's attention and gave her a big smile and told her to "rest awhile and cool off!" Next she turned to me saying, "Someone has to look out for Melodi's ovaries!!" Jeeze...
Melodi laughed and gave Mama a big 'high five'. This thrilled Mama. Miz Betty turned around giving me a smug look that implied, "See I told you..." This went on for four years. I never did make a basketball fan out of her. In the end that fact did not matter at all. Her antics at a game are precious...now, however not so much at the time.
Mama was an original, one of a kind southern lady through and through. I miss her and all of her little quirks.
Happy Birthday, Mama...you will be glad to know Melodi seldom plays basketball and her ovaries are fine.
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