Going it ‘Alone’ With Alzheimer’s
This is the reality Of my daily fight
And thoughts Within Dementia
This is the reality Of my daily fight
And thoughts Within Dementia
Yet again my dear wife Sumi dropped another bomb shell on me at 7am this morning by telling me that she had accepted an order from one of our old customers for a celebration cake to be ready by midday, who apparently said she won’t buy her celebration cakes from anyone else… I feel extremely flattered that the customer thinks in that way ‘but’ she obviously doesn’t realize just how much it sent me into utter panic of planning out what needed to be done, although I managed to get the cake ready in time which in it self is motivating given my condition!
But as I was decorating the cake it made me realize even more that still after ‘six years’ how unaware people around me are about my illness and how it affects a person and especially someone such as myself not living in a situation of their own homeland environment… ‘in fact’ to be honest I still do not think that many people at home in the UK or even other parts of the world can grasp the complexities of my situation with having Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia vis-à-vis their own circumstances which made me start to draw some comparisons of what people in the UK who have any type of dementia have at their fingertips to help them when compared to myself… they have active Alzheimer’s Society branches with daycentres to give ongoing support, telephone advice help lines whenever needed, and the opportunity of some respite time for the spouse, then there’s the memory cafés that bring people with dementia and their spouses together with organized activities, events and the opportunity to discuss ‘like-for-like’ problems within our illness and ‘face-to-face’ with people in similar situations… they can attended and even “Participate” in dementia awareness meetings or Alzheimer’s Society organized conferences… they have organized day trips out and many other type of events throughout the year that can help keep them active and motivated such as fund raising events… in fact I don’t think that a day, week or month passes by whereby there’s not some type of organized activity for the person with dementia which is excellent for both the person and the spouse… they also have social support care givers and organizations that visit their home…
Now lets put all that and more into the comparison perspective of my own situation, which is easily answered by saying “There’s no comparisons” as I do not have “ANY” of the many diverse activities or organizations that I’ve mentioned within my daily grasp… the reality is that Sumi and myself are out on a limb in an entirely “Go It Alone” situation and a situation whereby I’ve had to create my own proactive “Modus-Operandi” of fighting and coping with my illness every bewildering day…
Some might say ‘it’s sour grapes or resentment’ on my part “BUT” I implore you, try putting yourself in my own situation… and then appraise it yourself, where would you be, how would you feel, and how would you cope “Without” such benefits at your fingertips… and bearing in mind that there’s no substitute for a direct “One-on-One or Face-to-Face” organized infrastructural approach within our illness…
Yet despite all the differences that I do not have the benefits of “Somehow” just “Somehow” which I’m sure is due to my dear wife, I seem to survive the daily onslaught of my dementia…
Many thanks for listening
Barry
You can also listen to the video recording on Youtube… and my own website…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAvoUuxV0is
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but have now corrected that… very sorry to you all
