Mistress was asked to meet with an elderly woman at her work, she is an administrator at one of our clubs. The woman was confused and emotional. She had found that she had been billed by our company and had paperwork from us with her signature, but no recollection of ever being there. The manager was called over because he was the one who had initially worked with her. As it turns out this woman has alzheimer's and didn't remember a thing about him or what she had done. Of course the two felt extremely sorry for this poor woman and completely absolved her of all responsibility.The tears in her eyes when she left where different than the tears she had when arriving.
After this powerful moment, Mistress had to get out and go for a walk. She called me. She is resigned that this scenario will be replayed in our future many times. I already have a history of this behavior during my amnesia and memory issues after my accident. My mom had to cope with me every morning and throughout the day, for months, asking who she was, where I was, what I was doing. I think it helped her to cope with her own parents eventual dementia and alzheimer's issues. Gee, not only have I put myself in this position with my head injuries but its genetic too. Great for me.
It sad to think my wife believes I will forget her in our old age and is resigned to that. A lesser wife would do the math and bail out. My most recent episodes of 'sleep-driving' after my umpteenth concussion last fall only portents the future I may or not have. The optimism is that every neurological expert we have seen since then stresses that exercise and new experiences create new brain patterns and keeps the mind sharp. So I get to train till I puke. I get to read to the wee hours of the morning with very little fuss. Each practice completed or chapter read may add quality to the years I have left with my beautiful wife.
Thats pretty good advice to just about anyone.
Sidenote: After writing this I went through the archives to hyperlink a 'sleep driving' post because its a term I made up to describe some of the post concussion behavior I had last fall and maybe wouldn't be understood by some people. Turns out, I never wrote one. I certainly had dozens of email exchanges and phone calls with people regarding it but I never described it. Its worthy its own post for another day.
Update: Thanks Amber. Here is the Sleep Driving post.
After this powerful moment, Mistress had to get out and go for a walk. She called me. She is resigned that this scenario will be replayed in our future many times. I already have a history of this behavior during my amnesia and memory issues after my accident. My mom had to cope with me every morning and throughout the day, for months, asking who she was, where I was, what I was doing. I think it helped her to cope with her own parents eventual dementia and alzheimer's issues. Gee, not only have I put myself in this position with my head injuries but its genetic too. Great for me.
It sad to think my wife believes I will forget her in our old age and is resigned to that. A lesser wife would do the math and bail out. My most recent episodes of 'sleep-driving' after my umpteenth concussion last fall only portents the future I may or not have. The optimism is that every neurological expert we have seen since then stresses that exercise and new experiences create new brain patterns and keeps the mind sharp. So I get to train till I puke. I get to read to the wee hours of the morning with very little fuss. Each practice completed or chapter read may add quality to the years I have left with my beautiful wife.
Thats pretty good advice to just about anyone.
Sidenote: After writing this I went through the archives to hyperlink a 'sleep driving' post because its a term I made up to describe some of the post concussion behavior I had last fall and maybe wouldn't be understood by some people. Turns out, I never wrote one. I certainly had dozens of email exchanges and phone calls with people regarding it but I never described it. Its worthy its own post for another day.
Update: Thanks Amber. Here is the Sleep Driving post.
3 comments:
Check 11/28/2007 - I think this is the post you are refering to.
I'm a new commenter, but a regular reader, and as soon as I read your post I was certain that you were correct and had posted about it, otherwise there was no reason it'd have seemed familiar to me!
Do everything you can to keep the mind fresh. The fear of dementia is strong (Alzeheimer's in my family too), but that is all the more reason to enjoy every moment you have with the person you love.
Comm
Both of my parents sucummed to Alzheimers....Although my Dad's was more of a dementia thing, since Alz cannot be strictly id'd until post-mortum. Can you say Catostrophic Health Care Insurance?
A/
Comm,
I am not sure how I missed this post. I only wanted to say, your wife, she understands what marriage is REALLY about. I can't wait to meet her one day. Truly. She sets a fine example of what it means to stand by the people you love.
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