good article
I saw the article Nikola and bless you for all you have done and do to make his journey better. You really took on something that a lot of people would have walked away from. The nursing home visits are bitter sweet aren't they? I used to cry on the way home sometimes, had a few regula spots I pulled over into while I dried my tears.
The question I still ask is "WHY?????", why him, why us, why when no-one else in the family is affected did my good man have strokes, TIAs, seizures , fits and dementia? And why because of all of that did we lose the support of his family and so many of our friends? The lifestyle changes, the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia all take their toll and some days I feel 100.
He has been gone for four months and yet those same questions wake me in the night. I know I cannot do anything about it now but I mourn the loss not just of him but of so many parts of our lives that were good and slowly left us with so little defence against the stigma of dementia. When is our society going to be inclusive and not lock out of their lives those whose diease is marked as a "mental illness" and therefor taboo?
I am slowly trying to get my life back together but doubt I will be able to restart those friendships I have lost. I will make an effort eventually to do so as I loved that circle of friends but after 13 years of caring for Ray I doubt I can bridge the gap and reach out to them again. Okay I may be able to make new friends but I would like to resume old friendships too.
Sue.
I saw the article Nikola and bless you for all you have done and do to make his journey better. You really took on something that a lot of people would have walked away from. The nursing home visits are bitter sweet aren't they? I used to cry on the way home sometimes, had a few regula spots I pulled over into while I dried my tears.
The question I still ask is "WHY?????", why him, why us, why when no-one else in the family is affected did my good man have strokes, TIAs, seizures , fits and dementia? And why because of all of that did we lose the support of his family and so many of our friends? The lifestyle changes, the challenges of caring for a loved one with dementia all take their toll and some days I feel 100.
He has been gone for four months and yet those same questions wake me in the night. I know I cannot do anything about it now but I mourn the loss not just of him but of so many parts of our lives that were good and slowly left us with so little defence against the stigma of dementia. When is our society going to be inclusive and not lock out of their lives those whose diease is marked as a "mental illness" and therefor taboo?
I am slowly trying to get my life back together but doubt I will be able to restart those friendships I have lost. I will make an effort eventually to do so as I loved that circle of friends but after 13 years of caring for Ray I doubt I can bridge the gap and reach out to them again. Okay I may be able to make new friends but I would like to resume old friendships too.
Sue.