Love her to death

Mother in law diagnosed with Alzheimer's

With shortened, faltering steps
that are now border line shuffling
she moves forward into a future
where her past will gradually be forgotten,
as minute by minute, hour by hour,
day by day, memories are deleted
until all that is familiar becomes not so.
Her home, our home, is now her safe place
a place not to be strayed from,
four walls and a roof her comfort blanket,
this a self chosen cell in which her confusion is contained, managed.
Humdrum, routine, is her coping mechanism,
this and a loving daughter and granddaughter
who now care, calm, reassure
and will love her to her death...

Reviews

[Beren Ongur]

Maybe mind forgets but heart never will. This is so powerful I felt every part and even though there is a sad story in it I wish to be loved that way. She’s lucky you’re lucky your daughter lucky don’t worry everyone feels the love and you write amazing. I’m definitely gonna check your other works

[Gee]

Thank you for your kind words, they are appreciated.

[Chris Shaw]

So sad but at the same time reassuring that your ma in law has loving family around her. Not an easy option, hard work at times, but such a generosity of spirit and love shown. She is in safe hands Gee. Memory loss, such a painful thing to witness and for her relatives to feel.

Chris

[Gee]

We are prepared but not I think.
Ma in law is like a 2nd mum to Holly(daughter). She would kill us if we farmed her out to a care home.
Thanks Christine

[Thomas W Case]

Powerful and poignant. Great work.

[Gee]

Thanks Thomas

[redzone]

"...not with a bang, but a whimper". It is an unimaginable end and, an unimaginable heartache to those who witnessed this end. I'm sure this poem was difficult to write, Gee.
-Curt

[Gee]

Hi Curt, thanks for dropping in it is most appreciated.

[Stella Armour]

Having familiar things and faces around are so important, this is a frightening disease for both patient and family. So unpredictable from one day to another , one day she will feel loved and the next day abandoned .
Love her until death and beyond ...🧡

[Gee]

Thank you Stella

[JessyJacob]

Hi Gee,
Being infected with alzheimers,i iknow how the life of it going through, half alive with memories getting deleted. Ayurvedic helps cure than allopathy which hurts the cells. I wish i had her not more than a new born baby for my lonely life, instead of putting her in nursing home.
Family is not chosen we will be with those whom we are indebted to. And its our fortunate life to return the love back. We are responsible to shower back for what they have sacrificed to make us what we are now.
Everything gets better. God will show a way to be back together again.
Career money are upto certain extent to l8ve, family for me is which nothing can be replaceble with. I know how much i am suffering losing my loved ones day by day we lose the time to spend with them years just flow we sooner realise they lose their prime time with us, we end up being sick of missing them.

Hope everything best for you,
Take care. I know how much you love her and i know how much she loves you.

Jessy Jacob.

[Gee]

Thank you for your kind words Jessy, they are much appreciated

[Lorry]

It is indeed the most inelegant of endings Gee and not only for the victim of it but the loved ones too, watching that once bright light dull and fade.
I had to stay away from my mum for the last four years if her life after looking in on her twice a day until she answered the door terrified, thinking I was her dead brother Jim.
I had to tell the rest of the family to get their finger out and not be "too busy" to visit and that lasted all oglf three or four weeks before they dumped her in a nursing home.
Now it's all my fault for disturbing their lives and the whole family thing died that day, with me bring dead to them and them being dead to me.
It's true you don't get to choose your families, but most people aren't so selfish that they think it someone else's problem.
Just keep loving her and reminding her of all those better days.

[Gee]

I'm in the same boat with my "family" having not seen them, by choice, since mum upped sticks to somewhere peaceful and pain free. They couldn't be arsed with her when alive and then we're falling over themselves with "grief" at her funeral.
Thanks for taking a butchers:)
Hope the weather is better up there.

[Poetic Beauty]

Dementia is a cruel disease to the person and to the family. It is good to have a familiar safe haven of comfort and a daily routine.

This says so much in this poem and highlights some of the dramatic yet subtle changes that take place

[Gee]

Thank you for taking the time, very much appreciated

[Poetic Beauty]

You are definitely welcome.