It sounded like one of those bucket list items when my friend, Debra Kostiw, asked me to play the part of her demented mother in a “few videos.”

Debra is a certified educator on Alzheimer’s and other dementias, giving lectures and training health care professionals as well as family caregivers. I wish I’d known her answers about Alzheimer’s when I was practicing nursing, and even in my husband’s last months. Her You Tube channel, Answers about Alzheimer’s, is a gold mine of helpful videos. And you can find her Number 1 best-selling book on Alzheimer’s here  https://www.amazon.com/s?k=forget+me+not+book&crid=8WC46UU15PP5&sprefix=Forget+Me+Not%2Caps%2C151&ref=nb_sb_ss_pltr-data-refreshed_3_13

Yours truly occasionally shows up as her confused mother in social media.

But it’s the slew of TikTok videos that has friends, even casual acquaintances, laughing at my antics. (Some hygienists who don’t know me at my dentist’s office thought I was demented until I spoke with them!) Even some at my church (from which I’ve been absent due to a three month stay in Tennessee, followed by knee surgery) who saw me on TikTok, expressed concern that I’d been slipping mentally. You can find her on TikTok @debrakostiw.

God’s Sense of Humor

It’s all about God’s timing. Way back in the 90’s, I’d determined to work with family caregivers. They received far less help from the health care system than they do now.

At the time, I researched caregiving issues while matriculating for my BSN at Alfred University. I started a company to help guide caregivers— that went nowhere. Little did I know then that people considered caregiving part of family dynamics, like the “terrible twos.” And so there was no need to pay for outside help (while blood pressures rose, caregivers became ill from lack of sleep and stress overload).

As the Supervisor of Monroe County’s Home Care Services Unit, I managed to help a few more of them, but no way like I’m helping now.

In the end, bringing all my education and passion to the issue accomplished far less than God’s plan.He granted my wish to help caregivers, but not any way I could have imagined. Instead, by posing as a confused, elderly woman, I’ve had as many as 60 million (yes, you read that right) clicks on one video alone!

According to Debra, I have a following, and people wanted to meet “Sue.” So Debra and I did a two hour presentation online while questions rolled in. Is she demented? If not, she’s a great actress. (Who knew? I’m a star!)

Perhaps I should be embarrassed since friends who know me best can’t stop laughing, and others question my sanity. But no. God is probably laughing as I’m helping caregivers in ways I couldn’t have imagined years ago—with a good dose of humility and humor on my part.

Hey, if it helps you…is Ronald Reagan still President?