Sierra Cowan Poet I do not know?

Living With Alzheimer's

When my nana first moved in,
I thought it would be terrible.
I figured that living with someone who has Alzheimer’s,
Would be hard to deal with.
And it is,
But not for the reason I thought it would be.
It’s hard seeing the mind of someone so smart,
Turn into a mind similar to a child.
It’s hard seeing her like this.
It’s hard knowing that she will never be the same.
She used to be brilliant,
The head nurse at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.
But now,
Now she’s at the same mind level as the patents she once had.
She walks around everyday,
Not knowing what’s going on.
She gets sad sometimes,
And doesn’t know why.
She finds some little things amusing,
And others annoying.
She used to be so stylish,
But now she’s all mix and match.

When you live with someone with Alzheimer’s,
You must remember to be patient.
Their minds work as if a big ball of yarn,
And when a string gets pulled,
They put something there to replace it.
Most of the time it does not make any sense,
But once in a while they replace it with the right word or two.

Imagine if everything you knew,
Just disappeared.
Imagine if everyone you loved,
Just went away.
Imagine if all your emotions,
Just came all at once.
Imagine if your entire world,
Was turned upside down.
Well that’s exactly how someone with Alzheimer’s feels.

I didn’t understand how hard it would be,
To see her everyday living like this.
I didn’t understand what it meant to have Alzheimer’s,
Until now.
I didn’t understand the full extent Alzheimer’s has on the mind,
And on the body.
I just simply didn’t understand,
And I still don’t.
I don’t know everything there is to know,
But I do know a lot more then I did before.
There is so much more to learn,
And I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

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Sierra Cowan July 13, 2010 at 11:01 AM I agree. It is extremely hard. You don't really think much of it when they first get it, or before you knwo someone with the disease. but when you realize how mmuch it affects the mind, body, and the life of someone you love it's really hard to just sit on the sidelines and watch it happen, knowing that the only thing you can do is try to make it easier on them, but sometimes you can only try so hard.

Phyllis Babcock July 13, 2010 at 10:58 AM This is a sad poem. My father in law is suffering with the same disease. Hard to see someone that way. Let's hope they soon find a cure for this . God Bless Phyl

Sierra Cowan July 8, 2010 at 8:05 PM Same here, it's juts terrible to see someone you love go through that!

Tim Ryerson July 8, 2010 at 8:03 PM This is truly a very sad and beautiful poem, Sierra and I can surly identify...My granddad suffered from the same disease..like you he had to move in with us and we took care of him...he was a rugged, proud yet caring man in his younger days and it was heartbreaking to see him that way...hope they find a cure for this some day! - Tim