Such Opportunities!

Each day I am presented with so many ways to share joy, love, kindness ... and for this I am grateful. This is one of the most important, valued gifts that Gregory on his Journey with dementia has given to me.

When I arrive at Lieberman to see Gregory, he lights up and smiles and is happy. We hug and kiss or give a forehead "boink" as Gregory calls it. And I am happy.

Some days if he is not feeling well or is sleepy he has a hard time focusing on me having arrived. Still I hold on to my joy and refuse to revisit or seek the past of who we were or what we have been through, good or bad.

The staff always are cheerful and enjoy my greeting or send one my way first. I always make sure they know how much I appreciate them and what they do for Gregory as well as all the residents under their care.

I can reach out and offer my hand to one of my many family/friends/residents at Lieberman. For a number of them, my presence or arrival evokes a smile, a wave, a nod, a salute.

For others, a touch can mean so much to someone for whom outside stimulus is not readily available. A smile sometimes evokes a smile returned.

"How are you today?" I ask and usually get a smile or an "OK." If the answer is "Not so good." I can empathize and hope that tomorrow will be better.

But mostly, the residents are not too down and do not obsess. For some however, obsession and/or negativity is the way they interact with their world and maybe that is "OK" too?

The simple act of snapping a napkin around Martha's neck, cutting up Batia's food, offering to help feed Harun (with the usual "FUCK YOU!" You are dirty!) all bring joy.

How hard is it to make a peanut butter sandwich for Bill who usually doesn't like the day's offering? What does it take to tell Gerri that her son Howard says hello and sends his love and when asked where he is, fibbing that he is still at work?

Every time I get off the elevator, Mini is sitting there. Every time she asks, "Who are you?" "Why are you here?" "Where do you live?" "When is dinner." These is the only conversation I have had with her. Mini is 100 years old.

Betty's favorite comment is: "I want to go to my room." or "I want to go to bed." The usual reply is "OK. Why don't you eat a little more dinner and then you can go to bed." Sometimes it works. Most of the times brings, "I don't want it. I want to go to my room."

When one of the residents asks for help it is safer to refer the request to one of the Resident Care Associates. I've learned that there are some requests I can fulfill like bringing an extra napkin or getting more juice (making sure it has the correct level of thickening for that resident.)

A common request in the dining room or while watching TV in one of the wings, "I want to go to the bathroom. Or "Take me out of here." I have learned to offer, "You're next. The helper will get you next." It usually works and works fairly well because the element of "time" and/or "next" doesn't really exist for many of the residents.

Some of the family/friends/residents are so far progressed with their dementia that they are not at all present but I find that sometimes a "Hello" or touch does make a connection. I keep trying.

These are just a few of the opportunities that present themselves. And I am grateful for each interaction. I enjoy being with Gregory at Lieberman and look forward to my visits.

Accomplishemnts

Pleased to announce that as of today, this BLOG has received 30,000 hits! Actually 30, 036.

As Gregory and my journey with Alzheimer's continues I am pleased that you sign in now and then (or a lot) and are riding along.

I hope that I have been able to keep you up to date on our journey as well as to support you in similar journeys of your own.

While most are invisible to the eye, we all do have our journeys, don't we?

For me, writing has been such a support in helping me cope with difficult times, processing my emotions, feeling that I am not alone, and has helped give me the strength to carry on.

Love does the same and so many of you have sent so much love Gregory and my way, I am grateful!

I am excited about the release of a second book of poetry, much of it driven by this Alzheimer's Journey. It will be carried by lulu.com, amazon.com, and barnesandnobel.com. I will let you know when it is available.

The Real Work

This was shared by friend and fellow writer Stephanie Kallos. Check out her books, Broken for You, and Sing Them Home. I read them and LOVED them! Stephanie Kallos's books on Amazon.com

The Real Work
by Wendell Berry

It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,

and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.

The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.

The Journey

This was shared with me by my friend Pat Anderson. It resonates!

The Journey by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.