Walk To End Alzhiemer's

This was our first walk to support this cause. It felt right, and needed. Alzheimer's needs both funds, and an increased awareness. Aids has more than SIX times the funding, and yet more people die from this disease than with Aids. I have to admit, that even I was in the dark as to what this disease is capable of, until my grandma came to live with us. Typically when you think of Alz, you are brought to a mental image of the Hollywood film "The Notebook", or of a commercial that shows an elderly person simply being forgetful. Oh if only this disease was only that. What you don't see is how much the victim's of this disease are tormented with visions, of things that simply are not real. Imagine you have one of your nightmares, where people are chasing you, and yelling at you. Luckily you can wake up in a sweat and realize that it isn't really happening, but with Alz that waking up in a sweat more often than not, does not happen. Many nights my grandma is both confused, and bothered by people, and scenarios that although are not real- are very real to her. It is hard on her, and hard to witness as the person who loves her.

I sat down with my grandma this morning before the walk, and we had a great talk. She asked me what inspired me to do this walk, and I told her she did. We hugged and cried together. Those moments although special are very hard, because she is aware enough to know what is happening, and to understand what is lost, or about to be lost. But she is a fighter, and a woman of faith, and that inspires me to be both as well. In a quieter moment, she held my hand after the walk and asked " Honey, is this disease contagious?" I told her NO, she squeezed my hand and said "Oh thank God." I knew in that moment she was expressing that she didn't want us to go through this. I love my grandma very much, and am grateful for this time of caring for her. I thank God for her daily, and was glad our family could walk to fight this ! Here are some more pictures. Also, I thank God for my husband, he has been a rock to me in this period of transition, it was a joy to walk together side by side....... with our quicker, wonderful boy a few steps ahead!