Last Nights TV

[Kerry]

I just wondered if anyone saw last night's TV programme on the Million Dollar Pigeon Race. It was an interesting documentary showing people involved in the pigeon race fraternity talking to the old boy with his loft in the garden through to the new trendy racing syndicates racing for hundreds of thousands of pounds. One of the men they followed had a wife with alzheimers. He was brilliant, the love and care he showed his wife was fantastic and I think it epitimised the care we all show our loved ones during this horrible illness. It showed that whilst he was still deeply loving of his wife, that the caring for someone like this can be very hard and his escape was a visit to his pigeon loft where he used the same love and care on them too! He took a visit to this pigeon race in South Africa and insisted on taking his wife with him. I just wanted to say that it was for me a particularly moving part of the programme. His wife had many of the mannerisms and vocab problems that my mum has but on her birthday they still managed to party the evening away. Good for him!!!

 

[Michael E]

I watched as I used to keep racing pigeons when I was a kid and sometimes quite fancy returning to the 'fancy'.. The relationship of the guy and his wife was delightful to watch... She clearly adored him and he loved her - the Alzheimer's hardly seemed to get in the way... Clearly for him the 'escape' to the loft and his birds helped him cope and the friend who came in to sit with the lady was a lovely neighbour and a wonderful support.

I felt that they had an excellent relationship in the good times and it served them well in the bad times - which the way they were handling it seemed not so bad..

A very hopeful presentation of Alzheimer's - good to see... I really enjoyed the pigeons as well

Michael