On September 7, 2010, my grandmother, known by her grandchildren as Mamaw, quietly passed away. The strangest part about her actual death for me was that person I had known and loved my entire life had died a couple of years before.
That is the cruelty of diseases like Alzheimer’s + Dementia, they rob the personality, memories and spirit of a person long before they take their body. For several years our family didn’t realize she was suffering from the disease. In the last years of my Papaw’s life he lovingly cared for her and kept us from seeing the early signs.
Once he had passed, my dad and his brothers quickly realized living by herself was not an option. Initially, she lived in a senior living community near my parents. This is the last place where she was herself. She knew us and welcomed us into her apartment. It is here that I told her I was engaged.
By the time my wedding arrived 10 months later, she didn’t know why she was dressed up at a church and wasn’t sure who we all were. This is when the grief began for me. Each time I came home for a visit we would see Mamaw. But for me, she wasn’t there. Her spunk and sense of humor were gone. It was heartbreaking.
It was also incredible to see my dad, mom, uncles, and aunts care for her. They had to parent while grieving. Their love for her had never been more evident. She would have hated to see them fussing over her, but she also would have been so proud. Now that she is gone, I wear a ring every day that my Papaw gave her. It reminds me of the grandmother I knew. For more information about Alzheimer’s visit the Alzheimer’s Association website. For information about being a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s, check out this article.
Would you like to share your story? Please get in touch with Kate's Club! KC has free grief support with grief resources, grief counseling resources, grief training, and volunteer work in Atlanta and surrounding places in Georgia. Kate's Club is a growing nonprofit in Atlanta with grief specialists for kids and young adults going through bereavement. Our goal is to make a world where it is okay to grieve.