Alzheimer’s Disease: Remembering My Grandmother
This is a sponsored post
I was given the opportunity to write about Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, and I accepted the opportunity.
My grandmother (fathers mother) suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. She was officially diagnosed with it in 1992 although I know she had suffered from it a few years before that diagnosis. It was tough for me to watch her slowly deteriorate as the years passed by.
I cannot even begin to imagine how my father must have felt. You see there was came a time when she didn’t remember him at all. Occasionally I would catch a glimpse of my old grandmom but as time past those days became a distant memory.
I always carried my camera with me, and I took numerous photos of my family. I wanted to keep photos of her so I could look at them after she was gone. She would actually perk up when she saw Aiyana and I would catch glimpses of my old grandmom as I watched them interact.
I like to remember my grandmother before she forgot about me completely, before she was completely immersed in her own world where everything outside stopped existing.
Although she didn’t remember me in the later years as her granddaughter she knew me as the woman that would come to see her every week who claimed that I was her granddaughter. I still would go visit her in the nursing home on a weekly basis.
In the last few months of her life, I stopped taking pictures of my grandmother. She got to the point where she was completely immersed in her own world and barely acknowledged anyone that entered her room.
It didn’t change the fact that I loved her very much, but I didn’t want to disrespect her by taking those photos of her. I know that if she was able to communicate with me she would have told me in her calm & soft voice that those pictures wouldn’t have been proper.
I realized the woman I respected and loved so much wouldn’t be around that much longer. I still visited her weekly, but I stopped taking Aiyana with me I didn’t want her to see her great grandmother in that way.
On the day, that my grandmother died she was found on the nursing home floor. They rushed her to the hospital. She was in a coma. The family decided not to put her on any type of equipment. In the hour before her death, she awoke to see her family surrounding her. There were many there she hadn’t seen in a few years.
I was by her side from the time my father and I arrived at the hospital around 10:00 in the morning until after she passed away at 4:17 that afternoon. I held her hand the majority of the time. I talked about days past, fabulous memories that I shared with her and many ones she graciously had shared with me over the years.
My grandmother lived the life that I’ve always aspired to live. She was a tireless worker who gave her time and loved unconditionally.
The Alzheimer’s Memory walk is the nations largest event that helps raise awareness and money for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. If you log onto Alzheimer Association, you can find the memory walks in your area. They won’t all be happening on the same day so if you cannot make one check another location.
If you’re interested in becoming a part of Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk log onto the Alzheimer’s Association and sign up early your support will help make it a walk to remember.
[tags]Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk, memory loss, donations, volunteering[/tags]