Him- “So what about Jack?” he asks, “He raised your brother. How is he? Does Junito see him?”
Me-”Jack is in a nursing home. He’s been there for a while.”
Him- “Oh yeah? What happened to him?”
Me- “He has alzheimers.”
Him- “He doesn’t have a wife anymore?”
Me- “Yes, she is still there for him.”
Him- “Y porque esta en un nursing home?” (Why is he in a nursing home?)
Me- “Porque ya no se puede cuidar el mismo. Ya ni puede hablar” (Because he can no longer take care of himself. He can no longer speak.)
Him- “Hay, esa cosa de alzheimers si es mala. Le roba la vida a las personas. Tu sabes que tu abuela tenia alzheimers. Hay, eso de verla como una bebe. Eso si era dificil.” (That alzheimers is such a bad thing. It robs a person of their life. You know that your grandmother had alzheimers. Seeing her behave like a helpless baby. That was difficult)
Me- “Si, yo se. Me supongo que si era bien triste ver una persona que ya no recuerda no solo quien eres pero quien ella es.” (Yes I know. I imagine that it would be sad to see a person who not only doesn’t remember you but doesn’t remember him/herself.)
Him- “Yeah, that to me would be the worse thing that could happen. Yo le pido a Dios que no me pase eso a mi.” (I pray to God that doesn’t happen to me)
Me- “Si, yo tambien” (Yes, me too)
…and my heart begins to crush and in my mind I think….’Isn’t it ironic that we had this conversation not two days ago, and two days before that, and so on and so on…
November 13, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Sorry Libs! It seems so crushing to have to deal with that. Losing your parent I imagine is difficult enough, but a little each day….so sad. But I am glad you are at least there for him now.
November 16, 2009 at 4:36 am
I work with a lot of elderly that have Alzheimer’s and dementia. It always makes me wish that I had known the person before so that I really could really know them…not the person that they have become with their disease. It is a challenge for them and a challenge for those who love them.
May God be with you at this time.