“We remember their love when they can no longer remember.” – Unknown
5.7 million individuals in the U.S. are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and unfortunately there is no cure.
This disease is divided up into three stages: Early, Middle and Late. But no matter what stage your loved one in is, it still hurts the same knowing you may not have that much time with them left.
It’s been a year and a half since my grandmother was diagnosed with this ugly, ugly disease. Luckily it’s been a year and half and she is just now entering into the middle stage. She has good days and bad days, but the harsh truth is that the bad days are occurring more often than the good days now.
Our weekly visits now consist of me listening to her rant about politics and what her next big purchase for her new house is going to be. Her concept of money has now dissipated and she still thinks she is going to move out of her current house and build a brand new one from scratch.
I just smile, shake my head and ask what other plans she has come up with for her “new house,” because I know by tomorrow she won’t remember anything she has told me.
She can’t remember the date my fiancé and I have set for our wedding, she has forgotten when I’m graduating from college, and she has also forgotten what college my sister is going to this year. These are all things she use to know just a few short months ago.
I have passed the stage of anger and questioning why this disease has to be so aggressive and why all of this is happening so quickly. Now when she asks me the same question repeatedly I smile and softly repeat myself again.
One of the worst parts of this disease is watching my grandmother get frustrated and upset when she can’t remember something that she use to remember.
Even worse than that is the blank stares that spreads across her face when she genuinely has no idea what you are talking about.
For those of you who are also watching your loved one deteriorate from Alzheimer’s disease, make time to go visit them. More likely than not they just need someone to talk to and they just want to know that you still care.
Their mind will never get better and they may forget who you are, but they will always know you are there no matter what stage they are in. It may be hard, but it will be so worth it in the long run. Trust me.