Dang....
I have had many acquaintances in life and several "true' friends. A good friend that helped shaped me into who I am is in a place that I cannot help him, his early onset alzheimer's is about finished with him. He is now in hospice care entering corner number 4 of the last lap.
Funny... you may not talk to a "good"friend for quit some time, even years, and you pick up as if it were yesterday. This is one of those friends to me. I have known his wife on and off since grade school and felt the kick of their daughter before she was born.
It pains me that there is nothing I can offer to him, his wife, or family to relieve their burden. Prayers are offered daily for their journey.
Tonight I offer up a toast to Lynn and the friend he has been...
My condolences to your friends family and to you.
Alzheimer's is as close to Hell on Earth as I can imagine.
My sympathies go out to your friend and all who care for him.
My best friend passed with Alzheimer's a few years ago, and only about 74 - 75 at the time.
My mother had dementia that I blame more on high fevers from Scarlet Fever when she was a teenager than on Alzheimer's. She had lifelong problems that got worse as she got older.
I did some construction work in a nursing home where it was tight against the Alzheimer's wing, and heard a lot of the goings-on there.
As much as I am a right-to-life person, and don't believe in suicide, If I ever thought that I was slipping into that situation, I would be hard pressed not to 'eat' a pistol before I got too bad to do it, and hope I did it so that I would expire quickly.
The victim doesn't really suffer, but it is a bad affliction, indeed, that is actually harder on the families and friends than it is on the patient.
My deepest sympathy is for the caregivers and family and friends involved.
Myron
Brian,
Condolences and prayers for you and the gentleman's family..
Gentleman across the street, is 87 and just got put into a memory care unit... his wife is a healthy 92, tall and straight as an arrow.. but now she is alone in life...
its sad to see how lost she suddenly is in life... even tho she goes and spends all day with her husband.. I am sure she comes home and cries all night.
Me and my son have been going over and taking care of the lawn etc for her.....
I hope if I ever get that way, I get hit by a BUS or a lightning bolt.
Condolences to you and your friend. My mom had dementia and honestly I was glad she passed from cancer while she could still remember who I was, though she was down to a 3 minute memory the last time I visited her.
One of the guys in the deer camp next to ours did the long slow slide to death that is Alzheimer's. I see these guys for a week a year and it was hard on me. Imagine what it must be like for his family? To see a man you know personally, who you've shared a cup of coffee with out in the woods, swapped stories with, played cards with, and enjoyed spending time with, slowly sapped of his strength and dignity like this is excruciating. My condolences to those involved.
Blessed be the caregivers.
Best to Lynn and his family.
Saw my father in law go through that 10 years ago, a terrible disease.
We went through it with my dad. Luckily, he didn't get it until his late 80's. He died at 92. It's not hard on the patient because they don't realize they have it but its sure hell on the family and friends.
Only thing left for you to do is to run the last 1/4 mile with him.
Prayers for you and the family.
Its awful tough disease thats for sure. The best thing with that disease is the end.
Do the best you can for the family, for Lynn is already gone, but be there for him if you can anyway. They do have moments of recognition from time to time, at least our patients have in our family.
Prayers for all.
Thanks for being his friend
I don't have any friends with Alzheimer's yet but some of their parents have had it. Researchers have come up with 2 drugs that will stop the spread of Alzheimer's and have tested it on animals with great success. It won't cure anyone that already has advanced Altzheimer's but if caught early will stop it from getting worse. The drugs are LM11A and LM11A-32(ALSO CALLED C32). I'm not a doctor or medical expert, I read about this in a medical magazine at my eye doctors office. I also read that Alzheimer's is hereditary.
You and his family have my prayers my friend.
Our oldest family friend ever died of alzheimers. The good news was that she had the happy kind....if there is such a thing. She was in a perpetual good mood because she didn't realize what was going on around her, or what was happening to her....
I wish the best to all of you who have been affected to this disease , my Mom is in care with it right now .
Saw her Thanksgiving of last year -beyond sad what it does to a smart -cheerful -healthy lady.
Heartbreaking .
Lynn Mclaren died this morning at the age of 61 from early onset alzheimers leaving behind his wife, daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
Funny... this is a friend from many years ago that our friendship grew by butting heads. We would go at each other relentlessly, sometimes almost brutally, but at some point we rounded off the edges of our personalities and became good friends.
My heart breaks,he will be missed...
May God rest his soul and comfort his family...
bcolorado,
So sorry for your loss. May God bless and keep his family, and wrap your friend in his everlasting arms.
The best attitude when it is finally done is "thank God it is over".
We felt that when my mom passed, and we said a prayer of thanks that she was Home at last.
Myron
Thanks all...this one is difficult as he counted as one of a handful of really good friends...
Rest in Peace Lynn Mclaren ..
B,
It's hard to loose a close friend and even harder to see one in pain. I'm so very sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I pray you'll have the strength to be there for his family, I'm sure they think the world of you.
Be glad that you both had the time to know each other when you did.
Prayers sent
Sorry to hear, Brian.
A toast to Lynn form here.
I went through this with my father. He spent the last four years of his life in an alzheimer's unit.
stay strong.
donsm70
Comfort for his family and friends in the name above all names Christ Jesus.