The Face of Alzheimer's as Seen from the Heart of a Caregiver

By Lynda Armstrong

In this book I open my heart as a loving testimony of my journey from darkness to light. Pat, was my dearest friend and companion, was drawn away from me through Alzheimer's disease long before her last breath. At times during the years of giving, it seemed my faith had been exhausted. God never leaves us and my poems and writings helped me in the grieving process, thus taking me back again to my faith. As the author I let you feel my pain through poems, faith, definition of the disease. Some valuable advice is offered for the Alzheimer's caregiver that I learned through my hands-on experience with Pat. I try to make it clear that all Alzheimer patients are different, but laughter, selfless love, family, and continued commitment are a few strengths that helped. In my mind, Pat was the one who originally taught me to be a caregiver long before the disease engulfed her. From a shattered heart to a healing pathway, my words are here to help another caregiver's as they take their journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Nov 22, 2014
• ISBN: 9781312698321

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The Face of Alzheimer's as Seen from the Heart of a Caregiver

The Face of Alzheimer’s

As Seen

From the Heart of a Caregiver

Author: Lynda Armstrong

Editor: Ron Devito

Faith

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Heb. 11: 1

The New King James Version

Copyright

Copyright © 2006-2014, All Rights Reserved, Lynda Armstrong. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2006

ISBN: 978-1-312-69341-8

Castroville, TX

San Antonio, TX

Happiness

Happiness comes through doors you didn’t even know you left open…

Internet Author Unknown

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate to - or maybe say, thank you would be better - the ones who helped me put all this together.  The ones who listened as I read the words of sadness and was there with a smile when I cried because I felt so lost.  Also thank you to the ladies who became editors, because I didn’t have the money to hire one, and thank you to the lady who read e-mail after e-mail, and with my doctor somehow knew the right words to say.

But most of all I thank Pat who for 28 years showed me how to live life with Faith, Hope, and most of all Love.

PREFACE

When I started writing my thoughts, they were coming from a heart that was so broken there was no hope, no joy and no song left to sing.  Each word was like a tear coming from a broken soul in a dark place of no light.  But, in time the words began to lead me to a place where I could sense a feeling of hope, the darkness was not so dark, and the tears not so hard.

Some who read my words said I should put them all together; share with others my feelings as a caregiver to someone I loved, what it was like to see this person erased as we continued to live our lives.  They thought it might help someone else find hope and laughter again.

So 24 months later this is the story of Alzheimer’s as seen and felt though the eyes and heart of a caregiver.

Caregiver: An individual, such as a parent, doctor, head of a house or a loved one who attends to the needs of a dependent person.

Don’t Slip Away

Don’t slip away from me

Please stay awhile longer

Don’t make me face the future alone

Please don’t slip away

Please stay don’t go

I still need you

But as my heart cried I knew you had to go

And I would have to let you

Written 1/19/06. As I would sit at your bedside those last days as you slipped into that place of no return, I begged you not to go even though I knew in my heart that you were ready. You had fought a good fight, and now you were tired and ready to reach for the hand of God and go to that place where you could be whole again. But, I must be honest, these feelings started long before those last days.

Pat...

Pat was my dearest friend, companion, and the mother of my daughter's husband. We were bound together through our children's love for each other, as well as our own special relationship.

We had been together for 28 years. I don’t want those years to be thought of as more than they were; there were tears, disagreements, and family members who didn’t understand why we were together.

But there was also love: for each other, for our children, later for our grandchildren, and for the many others who came in and out of our lives.

When it began, it was never meant to last 28 years. It was meant to be maybe six months, but as time passed, we both saw that God had planned it all. He knew that we were two broken souls, trying our best to live within our disillusionments and the hurts of a life that at one time had held promise and hope. As we began to heal and our faith in God was renewed, we began to build that life together

Oh, what a life it was. We enjoyed watching as our children grew into beautiful adults, making their own lives, but sharing with us grandchildren who would take anyone’s heart away. We lived life to the fullest, making our share of mistakes; trying not to hurt the ones we loved, not always accomplishing that goal. We cared for each other when one or the other was sick; we cried our tears, we laughed together and fought. We lived.

The funny and sad part about this is she was the definition of a caregiver, her heart would not allow her to be any different. She cared for all she loved (maybe some she didn’t). If you were sick,