January 2, 2018
The word sends a chill into a conversation, fear into the mind, empathy into the heart, memories into the consciousness. Two weeks ago my wife Joy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Our consciousness harbors the word in the background behind every conversation, every game or movie on television, every sermon heard or book read, even if totally unrelated. But it is there.
Who do we tell, and when? How do we bring it up? How long will it last? How bad will it get? How much will it cost? What are the social effects? Will she be like her mother, who died of the disease at least ten years after we began to see irregularities? How do we pray? What should we expect?
This afternoon will be my first visit to an Alzheimer’s support group. I hope I can learn from it; but I also hope I can be of encouragement to others, as that is a large part of my calling.
I have seen beginning symptoms for at least three years. But then two years ago she suffered a stroke; so it’s difficult to separate the two and fix causation to symptoms — as though it really matters.
My prayer for our journey is that we handle it with a minimum of fear and a maximum of faith. If you are reading this, please join with us in this prayer. Thanks.
by Ken McGarvey
To respond to this blog, email kenandjoy@bellsouth.net and put blog in the subject line.
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