A sad encounter
We visited some old friends of ours, good friends from the days we would go dancing together. We had recently met them again, while we were on holiday at a holiday centre near Lowestoft, but for reasons that were to become clear to us, they had to leave early.
They have been happily married for ten years, we were fortunate enough to be able to attend their wedding.
Sadly she is now in the later stages of dementia, and is becoming increasingly dependant on her husband for support. She is a wonderful lady, with a lovely personality, that is still apparent from the beautiful smile that seems to be permanently fixed on her vulnerable face.
My friend is in his eighties and has suffered from the usual failing health that almost always afflicts people in this age group. He has always been a talented person, working as a tailor, making and designing clothing. He has made many of his wife's dresses over the years. He is a talented keyboard musician.
I remember both listening and dancing to his music on a number of occasions in the past, when we have been invited to their home.
Ironically my friend has also been a successful healer, and has friends in a healing group that they both attend together.
We spent a couple of hours with them and we promised to keep in touch and visit again soon. We suggested when it was convenient, it would be a nice idea for us to all have lunch together somewhere. I know this is a good idea as he needs people to communicate with in these uncertain times of his wife's failing health.
The sad thing is dementia is a slow, harsh, thorny pathway, filled with the uncertainty of misunderstanding and incomprehension. One moment the afflicted mind is painfully aware and the next moment everything is shrouded in mystery. A dementia patient can be happily lucid, yet behind the facade there is a world of fear, as the reactions of the people around, reflect the misunderstanding of the slow loss of reason, that is a characteristic progression of this evil.
We will always have special memories of this close couple and we will do our best to stand by them both in these difficult hours of need.
They have been happily married for ten years, we were fortunate enough to be able to attend their wedding.
Sadly she is now in the later stages of dementia, and is becoming increasingly dependant on her husband for support. She is a wonderful lady, with a lovely personality, that is still apparent from the beautiful smile that seems to be permanently fixed on her vulnerable face.
My friend is in his eighties and has suffered from the usual failing health that almost always afflicts people in this age group. He has always been a talented person, working as a tailor, making and designing clothing. He has made many of his wife's dresses over the years. He is a talented keyboard musician.
I remember both listening and dancing to his music on a number of occasions in the past, when we have been invited to their home.
Ironically my friend has also been a successful healer, and has friends in a healing group that they both attend together.
We spent a couple of hours with them and we promised to keep in touch and visit again soon. We suggested when it was convenient, it would be a nice idea for us to all have lunch together somewhere. I know this is a good idea as he needs people to communicate with in these uncertain times of his wife's failing health.
The sad thing is dementia is a slow, harsh, thorny pathway, filled with the uncertainty of misunderstanding and incomprehension. One moment the afflicted mind is painfully aware and the next moment everything is shrouded in mystery. A dementia patient can be happily lucid, yet behind the facade there is a world of fear, as the reactions of the people around, reflect the misunderstanding of the slow loss of reason, that is a characteristic progression of this evil.
We will always have special memories of this close couple and we will do our best to stand by them both in these difficult hours of need.
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