A fresh, brand-new, crushing heartbreak is what I feel every morning when I see that my dear wife of 52 years has lost another tiny part of herself to this cruel disease. She is still mostly aware of how impaired she is, and that causes her her own grief, frustration, humiliation, and fear. Almost every evening she says she's sorry for being so confused, distracted, and forgetful, and she asks if there's a cure yet. "Not yet, but many people are working hard on it," I reply, smiling to hold back tears. All my attempts to comfort her, to reassure and encourage her seem so pathetically small against the inevitability of what continues to creep forward almost imperceptibly day after day. I hate feeling so helpless.
So I take the energy of my grief and anguish, and I channel it into raising funds on the Walk to End Alzheimer's. The generosity and caring of my friends and walking teammates comfort and encourage me. I don't expect that a treatment or cure will arrive in time to help her, but if some day, someone else just as bright, talented, and sweet as she is is saved from this, and someone else just as deeply in love as I am is spared having to endure this, then our efforts will all be worthwhile. Please donate what you can to my team. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE MATCHED.
Thank you.
Something I wrote:
Alzheimer’s Song
Two old lovers still go walking hand-in-hand
They’ve been together so long, they’re a feature of the land.
Two old-timers, never been apart
One has Alzheimer’s, and one a breaking heart.
(chorus)
Just remember, must remember who I am to you,
Just remember, must remember who you are to me.
Which one will go first, it’s really hard to say.
One will fall apart while the other fades away.
She tells him he’s a good man to give her such good care.
He says that he’s the lucky one because she’s always there.
Just remember, must remember who I am to you,
Just remember, must remember who you are to me.
She asks him not to leave her, he says he’ll always stay,
His heart breaks once again ‘cause she’s the one who’s goin’ away.
Someday she might not recognize his face when he walks in,
So he’ll remember for them both all that they have been.
Just remember, must remember who I am to you,
Just remember, must remember who you are to me.
Two young lovers pushing seventy-five;
Each one is the reason that the other is alive.
Their love is still as fresh as when their story first was told.
Their bodies are the only things about them that are old.
Just remember, must remember who I am to you,
Just remember, must remember who you are to me.
Richard Wade
My Progress
Thank you for helping advance Alzheimer's support, care and research.
180
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100
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