My wife and I have been visiting our neighbor, Ann, who went into the Brethren Home a couple months ago. She has been battling cancer & bipolar disorder for some time, but more recently — Alzheimer’s. She’s been in four different sections of the home because her conditions have deteriorated since she’s been there. Now she’s in a lockdown unit with others coping with dementia.
When we first started visiting her there, Ann was a little more like a staff member helping with the other patients & we wondered if it was really necessary for her to be in that section of the home. On one occasion she insisted we have a cup of tea & some cookies with her. As we sat there visiting, another patient walked up beside me, spoke three sentences (none of which had to do with the others nor did they make any sense in the context of what was happening). She reached down & took several sips of my tea, placed the cup back in front of me then scooted a chair along in front of her as if it was a walker until she disappeared around a corner.
Well, it finally happened … Ann didn’t recognize us the last time we stopped in to see her even though it had been less than a week since our last visit. It was sad but at the same time we’d never seen her happier. All the stress & worry was out of her system. She lives in the moment because that’s all she has. Her painful past with its memories are gone. Not all Alzheimer’s patients are pleasant, of course — one seemed to take great pleasure in growling at our Yorkie pup we like to take along to visit the patients. As Callie runs behind me the patient beams with delight. May God richly bless those that care for them! Such concern they show, such patience, such strength! Those caregivers take such abuse but respond with such grace. And God bless those of you taking care of loved ones!