she constantly repeat things but she became severely paranoid. My poor sister bore the brunt of this.

About a month before she passed we talked on the phone (I live in a different state) and she was the most lucid she had been in a long time. She just sounded so happy to talk to me and it was just a very pleasant conversation.

I thought maybe I had just caught her on a good day. But I think, in one way or another, she knew the end wasn't too far off and was able to shake off the dementia long enough to be able to convey how she felt for us. Not that she hadn't done this our entire lives but she had been in that dementia cloud so long it had been a long time since we'd been able to have that kind of conversation.

I later learned my sister and brother had similar experiences during that time, as well. I'm so grateful for that conversation we had. It really helped having that to look back on and come to terms with her passing.