When A Person You Once Knew Is Hiding In His Mind…

ALZ is a disease that can totally consume an entire family, friends, caregivers, etc. This disease is devastating because of the deceptive manner in which it camouflages its victims true identity, when that person you once knew is hiding somewhere in that mind longing for the love, attention and life they once felt. My choice was to not prioritize the disease, but rather to share our journey by valuing each smile, funny statement, amusing interactions, always learning to seek better ways of giving care to my husband.

Journalizing constantly enhanced my knowledge of this disease, while creativity in art gave me stability. Oftentimes, I’d share my paintings with my husband; consistently talking to him and watching his facial expressions, it was obvious to me the brighter paintings seemed to give him happiness.

More importantly, I never stopped communicating with him; the importance was not whether or not I understood him but getting responses from him, regardless of the manner in which he gave them…grimaces, smiles, frowns, actual words…INVALUABLE…because we truly don’t know how much ALZ patients understand what is said to them. The journey is what you make it!!!