Tuesday, October 27, 2020
You were diagnosed a little over five years ago. At first, we never thought it would be serious. You just tended to mix up our names and have moments where it didn't quite seem like you knew what you were doing. As much as I hate myself for saying this, watching your early stages with the disease was like watching a child say or do something funny. It was cute in the sense that it disguised what was to eventually overcome you.
I was away at college, so every time I visited I noticed more and more how much the disease was progressing. The last time i saw you, you still recognized me. Maybe not by name, but you knew I was your granddaughter and that my dad was your son. It pains me to see how different this disease made you. You looked at us with blank stares as we hoped for a moment of lucidity that we all know wouldn’t come. But we will love you forever. You had an extraordinary life. You raised three amazing children, and seven grandchildren. Your legacy is marked in the recipes you have passed down, the lessons you have taught, and the love spread throughout our family. The Alzheimer’s may have taken your life but it can never take away your love.
