Tim and I traveled to Maryland over the weekend to see my grandparents. My grandmother has Alzheimer's. My grandfather is in very low spirits. Each time we see her we notice such a difference in her demeanor and personality. But as I watched my grandfather take care of her as if she was a 10 year it amazed me at how much he is doing each day and the pain he must be feeling. I tried to put myself mentally in their shoes and the sadness was so great. They will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in a few weeks and she doesn't even remember. We looked at old pictures and she would think baby pictures of my grandpa were her oldest son. Please pray for her strength as she wakes up each day and peace as she goes to sleep each night. She has nightly hours of crying. My grandpa was told that it was her knowing in her heart what was happening and feeling the loss. I ask you to pray for my grandpa to give him wisdom and strength to keep enduring. And mostly that they can still enjoy the love the have for each other as much as possible. I read this poem made me want to go hug everyone that had had to deal with this ugly disease.
Pray for me I was once like you.
Be kind and loving to me that's how I would have treated you.
Remember I was once someones parent or spouse I had a life and a
dream for the future.
Speak to me, I can hear you even if I don't understand
what you are saying. Speak to me of things in my past of
which I can still relate.
Be considerate of me, my days are such a struggle.
Think of my feelings because I still have them and can feel pain.
Treat me with respect because I would have treated you that way.
Think of how I was before I got Alzheimer's; I was full of life,
I had a life, laughed and loved you.
Think of how I am now, My disease distorts my thinking, my
feelings, and my ability to respond, but I still love you even if I can't tell you.
Think about my future because I used too.
Remember I was full of hope for the future just like you are now.
Think how it would be to have things locked in your mind and
can't let them out. I need you to understand and not blame me,
but Alzheimer's.
I still need the compassion and the touching and most of all I
still need you to love me.
Keep me in your prayers because I am between life and death.
The love you give will be a blessing from God and both of us will
live forever.
How you live and what you do today will always be remembered
in the heart of the Alzheimer's Patient.
Thank God for my strong Pappy! I love him so much.
2 comments:
Heather, this post is very moving, thank you for sharing.
That is a beautiful poem Heather. My heart breaks for them since we went through it too. It's really tough, but it tougher for the caregiver. The person with the disease is happy and unaware that there is anything wrong. I guess that is the blessing behind it knowing they really aren't suffering like us seeing them go through it and feeling so helpless. We will continue to pray for your grandpa - I KNOW he has his hands full and has a heart that is so torn right now as he faces decisions that he finds hard to make. Putting my Mom in a nursing home was the hardest thing I ever had to do - but in the end, it was the best thing for her. She was safe, taken care of, and loved. What more could we ask. It took the pressure off of us so we could concentrate on loving her without all of the care. Once he comes to that conclusion, he'll be glad he did. May not seem like it now, but in the end, it is the best thing for her.
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