Many of you know that my wife has Alzheimer’s. We never really know what something is like until we experience it ourselves. We have to walk in those shoes in order to understand and appreciate the situation. Lois was first diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment over ten years ago. About six years ago, Dr. Greg Jicha at the University of Kentucky confirmed the diagnosis of Alzhemier’s. My wife has always been such an out-going person who genuinely loves people. Her life has revolved around her relationships with others, from our wonderful family to most everyone she meets. Unlike me, it seemed like she knew most everybody, and I depended upon her to identify others for me. I don’t know anyone who has more compassion for others than she does. Over the past almost sixty years together, we have experienced our share of ups and downs. There have been times of disagreement and conflicts, but we never let those override our genuine love for each other. We know in our hearts how much God has blessed our lives. As I have said before, there were many times when we didn’t like each other very much, but we always loved each other. The Bible tells us that love is the most excellent way, and how true that is (1 Cor.!2:31-13:1-13). Lois has been my rock on so many occasions when my days were quite troubling. She was always there for me when I needed her strength and encouragement. Now, I am her caretaker; a difficult task to say the least, but one that is carried out in love. To see what this disease has done to her over the years is very difficult for both of us. We shed tears frequently as we reflect on where she is. Most of her memory and much of her comprehension is gone, but the spark of who she really is remains. While on the surface I have lost much of my wife, deep down inside I know that the real Lois is still there. We have pledged to go through this together, one day at a time, and we will until we are parted by death.
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 14:26:01 +0000
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