The following is an email that my Uncle sent to my Dad. My Dad then passed it on to us. My Grandma is in an assisted living facility. She has Alzheimer's. My Grandpa was a LCMS pastor while he was alive. He passed away in July 1999.
Hi Sibblings and Siblingette,
I wanted to share a Mother's Day moment with you. This morning I had to go early to usher at church so Marlene picked up Mom. We called the day before and told her what time we were going to pick her up and she wrote it down. When Marlene showed up to pick her up she said, "Look who's here. What are you doing here?" So, Marlene helped get her socks and shoes on and when they were walking out the door Marlene noticed a big bulge in Mom's pants pocket. She asked what it was and Mom pulled out a pair of underpants. They both laughed and said it wouldn't be too funny if she had the sniffles at church and pulled those out to wipe her nose. Mom said she was going to put those back and get a handkerchief. A few moments later she came walking back from her bedroom with a black sock in her hand.
Mom is pretty much lost anymore in church and we point out where we are in the liturgy. I think she still likes to go to listen to the singing and see other people.
When I brought her back to her apartment, I sat down with her and she opened up Mother's Day cards. She opened Jerri's and mine and each time I asked her who it was from and she didn't remember. After a while she said "I don't know who they are in my head but I know who they are in my heart."
Before I leave I always give her a big hug. This time I gave her a hug and then I gave her another three "from Jerri, from Ray and from Fred". Then I gave her another big hug from all the grandkids and everyone else that was thinking of her. She said softly, "I don't want to let go." I said, "Neither do we, Mom, neither do we."
Love you all,
Mark
I just had to share. I am very blessed with my family.
4 comments:
You are blessed with a WONDERFUL family! Don't let go either! ;) :)
In Christ
Jenn in Vegas
Thanks Jenn! Thanks be to God, I won't ever have to let go permanently!
Kleenex alert was right!
My dad is beginning to exhibit more and more signs of dementia. He often thinks I'm my mom, whose been dead for over 7 years. It makes visiting with him hard on me, and confusing for my youngest who doesn't understand why Grampa thinks I'm Grammy (my youngest doesn't remember Grammy since she was a baby when Grammy died).
I pray he remembers us in his heart. This post gives me hope that maybe he does.
Paula
Paula,
I pray that he does too! Alzheimer's and dementia are so hard to deal with. My grandma once asked what we were going to do with her when she no longer remembered us. My Aunt had a wonderful response - she said, "Mom, we'll just love you."
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