My Mother's Garden - Documentary About Los Angeles Mother Who Hoards

A new film explores one woman’s extreme attachment to material objects and her emotional struggle to let go of them. The film documents a family’s journey as Cynthia Lester and her three brothers come together to help thier mother, Eugenia Lester, with her acute case of Compulsive Hoarding Disorder, a disorder that affects over one million people in this country alone. When her disorder reaches a crisis point the family is forced to intervene and clean the house, despite her resistance. The film documents this process, as well as its painful, but ultimately healing aftermath. My Mother's Garden Thanks to blog reader and Los Angeles professional organizer Wendy Cross for the tip.

Comments

[Monica Ricci]

Wow. I definitely want to see this. Thanks for the heads up John and Wendy.
~Monica

[Ariane Benefit]

This is going to be really good. Can't wait to see it!

Thanks John!

[James Edmondson]

I recently went through this with a Dear friend of mine's father. His hoarding disease could have been almost like your mothers if he was living in a house instead of an apartment. Its a painful decision that you guys had to make. But the aftermath will be very pleasing to all in time.
Continue to show much love and support for you mother in this crisis.

[Chuck]

This is not a pretty tale, but this is a documentary certainly worth telling.

'Enjoyed it very much. I had a mother-in-law with the same problem.

Chuck

[John Trosko]

Hi Chuck,

Thank you for your comment. I am not able to respond to your privately, I hope your mother in law was able to find some help with her hoarding issues. It's really touch and I wish you (and her) the very best.)

- John

[Cynthia Lester]

Hi all,

Thank you all for your interest in our film, "My Mother's Garden." Please visit our new website for the most update information at www.mymothersgardenmovie.com

Yes, I twas a very traumatic experience for my mother and for all of us in our family. We hope her new garden will continue to grow and thrive in a healthy way. She will always collect things, but i think now thats its monitored, it wont consume her life. Thanks again for your support.

[Louise]

I look forward to seeing the program this Sunday. I went through a worse scenario with my mother - complicated by the tragic death of my brother. She was also getting Alzheimers. Hoarding is often a preamble to Alzheimers - watch your mom carefully.

[John Trosko]

Hi Louise!

Thank you for your comment and for adding to the conversation with the story of your mother.

You mentioned seeing the program Sunday, can you tell us where you are seeing Cynthia's documentary? Is it on television? Please let us know. Thanks again!

John aka OrganizingLA

[Louise]

The show is scheduled to be on MSNBC at 10pm EASTERN time. I've told a few more friends about this as well.

[Tina]

I've been going thru this with my mom for 40 years. She's been in the hospital for a month. She had to have an eliostomy, colon removed, now it is up to me to make sure she takes care of herself. Living in that chaos is not good for her health. Need to get her help. How can I ease her into it?

[JANET LEYVA]

MY MOTHER SUFFERED FROM THIS ALSO, ALL THE YEARS GROWING UP I OR WE THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE POOR, BUT IT'S NOT. SHE USED TO GO TO DUMPSTER AT ALL THE LOCAL THRIFT STORES. OR WHAT EVER WAS LEFT OUTSIDE SHE WOULD BRING HOME AND SAY SHE WOULD SELL AT A GARAGE SALE, ONE BATHROOM WE HAD WAS FILLED FROM FLOOR TO CEILING, AND THAT BATHROOM WAS NON FUNCTIONING FOR YEARS. AND THEN THE BACK YARD ALSO, SHE ONE TIME MADE FRIENDS WITH ONE OF THE PICK-U[ DRIVERS FOR THE GOOD WILL THRIFT STORE. SO IS WHAT WE DID WAS IN RETURN FOR US PICKING ALL THE STUFF WE COULD FIT IN OUR CAR, SHE WOULD TAKE HIM COFFEE AND SOME CIGARETTS, WE FOLLOW HIM AROUND A FEW PLACES AND LOAD UP THE CAR. THAT WAS OUR OUTING FOR THE WEEK, THATS HOW WE DRESSED AND GOT ALL OF OUR STUFF, SHE WOULD HALL IN STUFF FROM THE ALLIES LIKE DRYERS, WASHERS, COUCHES WE WERE ALWAYS SO ASHAMED GROWING UP. ONE MO. BEFORE SHE PASSED AWAY SHE ALOUD US TO GO AND CLEAN OUT HER HOME IN LOMPOC, CA. IT WAS SO PAINFULL TO SEE THE STUFF SHE HAD IN A SMALL 2 BEDROOM DUPLEX, WE SPEND 3 DAYS JUST THROWING ALMOST EVERYTHING AWAY. I GUESS BECAUSE SHE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO PASS AWAY SOON FROM CANCER. WE NEVER THOUGHT SHE HAD A PROBLEM UNTILL I SAY THIS STORY OF "MY MOTHERS GARDEN" IT STILL PAINS US TO THIS DAY. TO SEE WHAT SHE WOULD SAVE, AND ONE TIME SHE FOUGHT, AND YELLED AT ME BECAUSE I WANTED TO CLEAN UP HER BATHROOM AND THROW OUT SOME OLD ROTTEN, AND RANCID FACE CREAMS THAT SHE HAD FOR YEARS, TOLD ME " DONT COME OVER AND TRY TO CLEAN, LEAVE MY STUFF ALONE, MAYBE I JUST WANT IT, HOW DARE YOU THOW SOMETHING I WANT AWAY" SO WE WOULD NOT GO VISIT HER AS MUCH, SHE ALSO HAD EVERYTHING SO DIRTY ALL THE TIME I NEVER UNDERSTOOD.