Did You know that Alzheimer's disease (A.D), also known simply as Alzheimer's, is a neurodegenerative disease that, in its most common form, is found in people over age 65. Approximately 24 million people worldwide have dementia of which the majority (~60%) is due to Alzheimer’s. (Wikipedia.com)
Now let me start off by saying that my Grandmother was my role model, the one I looked up to in the family. Her and I had always had this special bond, and everyone joked that I was her favorite one.
I remember hearing that my Grandmother had Alzheimer's disease and I didn't think much of it until she couldn't remember who I was, my mother and Aunts was, and worst of all looking at my Grandfather, her husband of 61 years, and asking who he was! There were plenty of time's she remembered us, but even more times she didn't.
I moved to Alabama in February and I knew it was a dangerous game, because of my Grandmothers condition, but I needed to work at that shelter. I enjoyed it a lot, missed my family, but enjoyed what I was doing. Well, at the beginning of July my mom called me informing me that Grandma was in the Hospital and if it got any worse she would call me, and figure out how to afford to fly me home. I was on an Airplane 6 hours later.
I stayed in Florida for two weeks and than flew back to Alabama, packed up my room, and moved back home. but during those two weeks I spent every day with my Grandmother at Hospice. The hard thing with that was she was seeing things constantly. Half the time she would talk to me, and the other not even know who I was.
Kissing someone goodbye is customary in our family, and since I knew my grandma didn't have much time left I always kissed her goodbye... and I remember the one time I tried to kiss her goodbye she turned her head away from me, looked at me with a nasty look and didn't say anything to me. She had no clue who I was.
When I finally arrived home again I spent a week house sitting for my mom while she stayed with my Grandpa at home, and with my Grandma. They didn't want any of the Grand children to come and see her because she had been in a coma for close to a week, with no food or water,so she was beyond skinny. I decided that I had to go see her again, and I didn't know how I knew but I just knew it was going to be her last night. When I got to Hospice that night the my Aunts, Grandpa, and my mom were all sitting around her bed just talking to her, telling her how much they loved her, and that it was okay for her to go be with Jesus.
The doctor took all of us out of the room and told us that my Grandmother had at most 24 hours to live but she thought it would be during the night. After that my Grandma laid there grunting, like she was in pain, but in reality it was her spirit trying to leave her body. I stood at her feet, telling her I loved her, tears running down my face, while I felt her feet, which were Ice cold.
We all fell asleep and about five in the morning my mom yelled at everyone to wake up because Grandma was going home to be with Jesus right than. We got around the bed in enough time to hold her hands, tell her we loved her, kiss her, and than watch her take her last breath.
In the minutes that followed everyone went their separate ways and planned to get together later for Breakfast, because we usually always ate breakfast together, but this was going to be the first time without my Grandmother.
As if that wasn't bad enough we than had to go to an open casket funeral for her. When I first walked in I felt like I was going to explode. I stood looking at the woman who was the first person to ever hold me, the first person to change my diaper, and the woman who always had chocolate milk waiting for me when I came over to her house. I remember looking at her and wanted more than anything for her arms to not look blue, and for her chest to start moving, and for her to pop up and look at me, start laughing, and tell me it was all a joke.
Did you know that the ultimate cause of Alzheimer's is unknown, but genetic factors are suspected.
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Keep strong. I know that the experiance is very hard. My mother works in geriatrics and I have seen many people lose themselves to alzheimer's. It is truly one of the saddest things.
"I am a Stephens Woman."