Alzheimer's Lane
In the earlier stages of my mother's Alzheimer's, she would often laugh at herself and I would join in as "laughter is good medicine." On one such occasion, we had been for a drive in the country and as we neared mother's condo, she asked me very seriously, "Are we on Alzheimer's Lane yet?"
Realizing what she had said, she burst into laughter, but the horror of Alzheimer's is no laughing matter and later, remembering this time with mother, I wrote the following poem.
Alzheimer’s Lane
there is a dead end path
famous for no road signs
that bestows upon its travellers
bends and twists
lined with apparitions and specters.
This perilous path
spins out of control
like a broken merry-go-round
until thrown from the ride,
confused travellers are compelled
to climb back on again,
to riddle their way
down Alzheimer’s Lane.
(c)--Christina Cowling
posted by Anonymous @ 7:29 AM
3 comments
The 
3 Comments:
Wow! The lane I know is not one folks want to travel either Chris. Your words remind me that it is not only I who carries a burden.
In old age the fear of loss of mind has become the major mental block...for those of us who have reached well beyond seventy, every time one feels a bit disoriented, every time one goes to the pantry and forgets why she went, every time a well known word or name refuses to come to the tongue, every time one forgets which poem one posted yesterday it becomes necessary to find a way of driving off the panic. I have just been reading Schachter on the reasons for memory loss, most of them physical and irreversible. There are just a few too many well-meaning individuals who seem to think that it is possible to keep the brain in good shape with simply getting more into it__just ain't so although the effort can be very rewarding in the short term. It is always easier to deal with a broken leg than a malfunctioning brain. If only there was a single recipe for the problems of the mind, however, change, chat, being with people and, as long as it is possible, doing for others does help alleviate the depression that comes with the disease.
Hello Christine,
My aunt had a stroke and parts of her are lost. It's very hard on her and her family.
I'll pray for strength and comfort for you and your mom. God is with you even in the midst of fear.
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