Obsessions

 Every few months, Mom has a new obsession.  Not unusual with Alzheimers patients, there is often a bit of paranoia tied in... As memories fade, people often believe that others are stealing from them in other ways. I try to convince her that this is not true; and for a while, she believes me... But inevitably, she will go back to her way of thinking.
  One of her first obsessions was that someone was stealing her bananas. "I bring them home, and then when I am ready to eat them, they are gone.  Someone is breaking into my apartment and stealing my bananas." Despite our best efforts, Tom and I could not convince her that she was eating them herself.  She began hiding bananas everywhere in her home.  We'd walk into a room and smell the distinct smell of overripe bananas; and then the hunt would begin.  We found them in desk drawers, closets, the dishwasher, kitchen cabinets.  They would be dessicated and brown-- but Mom would insist that she knew the banana was there the whole time. I haven't smelled any bananas since Christmastime; she has moved onto a new obsession.
  Maxipads.  Once again, she is sure that someone is stealing them because there are less and less in the bag every day. "That's because you are using them, Mom."  "Well yes-- but so is someone else!"  Yesterday, I found eight packages, unopened in various areas of the apartment-- the closets, cabinets, desk drawers, behind the extra bed, in an attache case... everywhere but the bathroom ("But people will find them there!") I even found a group of jackets with a pad in each pocket... sigh.  I designated a drawer in her dresser as the maxipad drawer-- I will see how many of them have been moved when I return tomorrow.
  The store owner in the assisted living facility asked me if she should continue to allow Mom to purchase these pads.. "She must have 20 boxes in her apartment!"  I told her to tell her that she has a drawer full in her room upstairs, but if she insists, sell them to her.  It's a small price for peace of mind.