Posted 12-23-19
I hope you all had a great weekend as we dig deeply into the Advent/Christmas/Hanukkah seasons. 🙂 I had a wonderful weekend capped off by a beautiful and worshipful church service, then a super Christmas party at my in-laws yesterday. I truly love this time of year!!
Sunday the Springfield News Leader published a 2 page piece on mom’s last couple years. They had interviewed me and my step-dad a couple weeks ago and my sister by phone last week and compiled it all into yesterday’s work. It turned out very nice!!. I was thrilled that the 10 warning signs was published as well. 🙂 Thank you very much for joining on this battle to #EndALZ, Jackie and Andrew! People will be helped by reading mom’s story and the 10 warning signs. I hope and pray that it prompts at least one person to talk to their doctor when they experience one of these signs.
As I came in to work today, I was thinking of our little piece here and the fact that our year is almost gone. I have been fortunate in 2019 to be on TV a couple times, radio a few times and a couple newspapers. I have always trumpeted the same things: know the warning signs and get checked if you have doubts, visit and advocate for those with the disease, and help fight the disease in other ways (help patients and help those who help patients, participate in clinical trials, donate, advocate with your representatives). As I left McDonald’s from getting breakfast that I didn’t have time to prepare at home, I saw this sign:
It reminded me that we are in this deal for the long haul. Mom is doing better, relatively speaking. Yesterday she even fed herself several bites of her meals, a rarity over the last 6 months. However, her hospice care approval comes with a caveat: chances are the end is closer that we want to admit. I know that hospice in Alzheimer’s doesn’t always mean they will only live 6 months or less, but that is a required expected outcome and we are not oblivious to the fact that her end of the first round of hospice’s 6 months is coming soon. (Note: Mrs. E in the original Sweet 17 is on round 5 or 6 probably and is still fighting, well over 100 years old.)
So I asked myself as I drove, much to the dismay of the dude next to me at the light watching me talk to myself, will I stop after mom passes away someday? Me??? Stop???? I am nothing if I am not persistent. I am one of the most hard-headed men you will ever know (wow…my wife’s spidey-sense was just triggered). Like many do, I will take a little time off the Facebook groups and off writing, then I will jump back on and go again. This has been too hard of a time to idly sit by and let others suffer just because my loved one is gone. (Note: my uncle also has the disease. Heck, if the hereditary factors are accurate as triggers, my chances are good to join them within 2 decades.)
I want to encourage you to do the same thing, friends. If you lost a loved one to this disease, take some time off thinking about it to mourn. I have no time period for you there…everyone mourns differently. However, you will know…then jump back in and serve, advocate, visit, etc… Millions need us. Millions… Your experience is a rare commodity that needs to be shared. My good friend Stacey, with whom I co-lead our fledgling support group, is a wonderful example of this. It is hard for her and it will be hard for you, but it will bring you renewed peace and faith to know that your experience was NOT IN VAIN. You can help those just entering the gates of the disease to navigate its harsh waters. If you can’t do it, give it some more time. Pray. Exhale. Then reconsider….
Thank you all who support our little endeavor here! I will not be writing quite as much as normal this week with the holidays, but I will me back writing every weekday soon. Me Stop? Never, until we #EndALZ .
Update: we are over 100 Christmas cards for mom. 🙂 I will deliver a bunch today to read to her over supper 🙂