oh, jamie, dear! happy, happy birthday! dementia robs a person of their person-hood, their self is gone. all the special things that make each of us unique, gone. i asked my mother if she knew my name, and she said" no, but she thought it would be a nice one." she had no earthly idea who i was and why i was there. i'm sorry you are going thru it with your mom.it is very hard!!