Rebecca Posamentier (RP) and Carol Kirsch (CK)
RP: I first came to StoryCorps in 2008. My name is Rebecca Posamentier, and I’m interviewing my mom.
CK: My name is Carol Kirsch.
RP: Tell me um…
RP: My mom was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. And I was hoping to get her thoughts on tape before she couldn’t express them anymore.
RP: What about your childhood and your relationship with your mom?
CK: Mom was very insecure, because she had polio as a child, and she had a limp. She felt that she was not whole somehow, so I had a rocky relationship with Mom. And I was afraid to have children for many years, but I’m so glad I did. [Laughs]
RP: Me too. [Laughs]
RP: I think in the original interview, I was due in five or six weeks with my first kid.
RP: You mentioned Sophia. When she comes, what are some of the things that you would want her to know?
CK: I’d want her to know that she’s going to be very loved. And, you know, I’ve told you that I was worried that my Alzheimer’s would get worse, and that I wouldn’t be able to spend time I want with her.
RP: For the first two years they were very close. But Sophie was so little, I don’t know how much she’ll really, truly remember. And, my mom, she modeled everything for us.
RP: I think maybe a couple of days before I was heading off to college you said that no matter what happens, even if it’s horrible, I should still tell you, and you’d help me to get out of whatever situation. Those are the qualities of motherhood that I want to have, too.
RP: The sad part for me is that, now that I’m a parent, I would love to talk things out with her. And that’s what I miss the most right now. You know, we had this routine of saying goodnight. She would come upstairs and sing me lullabies.
RP: I think it would be great if you could just sing one of the lullabies to future babies that aren’t twinkling in anyone’s eye quite yet…
CK: Okay. Tu, lu, lu, lu, lu, don’t you cry, Mommy won’t go away. Stay in my arms…
RP: Stay in my arms, while you still can. Childhood is but a day. Tu, lu, lu, lu, lu, hush-a-by. Mommy won’t go away.
Rebecca Posamentier (above right) first came to StoryCorps in 2008 with her mother, Carol Kirsch, who had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Rebecca was hoping to record her mother’s voice and thoughts on tape before Carol ‘s condition worsened.