Alzheimer's It Has No Limits

Who Is Next?

By: Fran Lewis

The lives of so many people have been turned inside
out
The lives of so many people have changed for the
worse no doubt
Their lives were normal just like yours and mine
Their lives were normal one minute and the next far from fine


It sneaks up slowly without a single clue
It sneaks up slowly inside anyone ,even you
Without a hint or even a word you begin to forget and then
You start to act as if you don’t know who, what, where or when


You forget your keys, your phone number and more
You have no idea that the worst is still in store.
You’re driving a car and you forget the way
That you travel to work each and every day

Pulling over to side you begin to cry
Because you can’t remember the way even if you try
You start to write lists each morning to help you know
What the day has in store for you while you're on the go

And just when you think it could not get any worse
You go shopping at the market and forget where you left your purse
You look around and try to think of where it might be
No even realizing as you look that it’s on your arm where it should be

What could be causing your memory to go?
Dementia of course is about to make you slow
Limiting your actions, your thoughts and your life
It enjoys creeping into your mind only bringing you strife

It slowly eats away at your mind each day
Making your life difficult in every way
Eating before leaving and going to the store
You stop for pizza and a whole lot more


You don’t remember that you just had tea
You don’t remember that you ate with me
And then you forget the names of so many who are dear
That’s scares you into going to the doctor to learn your worst fear






Yes, it’s the start of that dreaded disease
It will overtake you in time and with such ease.
Sorry to tell you there is little we can do
To stop this disease from destroying you.

I sat in the doctor’s office and cried
I sat in his office and asked him why?
Trying not to react when he said these words to my mom
Watching her not understand, wanting to know how come?

By the time they realized her problem it was too late
By the time they realized her problem she could not tell you the date
Not even the city and state where she lives or her address
It slowly eats away at your dignity causing you only to live in distress.

Stem cell research is going on all over the world we know
The type of research that might make it disappears and just go
Has not been approved in America by our govenment to date
Unfortunately, by the time it is for my mom it will be too late.

In time maybe there will be an FDA approved drug or even a cure
So families like my will not have to endure
The financial suffering and the sadness each day
Watching our mom's mind dwindle away

From me to you and anyone else you need to remember this
Having the person at home and cared for them is truly bliss
My family loves our mom no doubt and we make sure she is safe and sound
Keeping your loved one at home if what is successful so we’ve found

To anyone who has a loved one with this disease you need to hang tough and remember the good times that you had with this person and tell them that you love them every day. My mom sees me in the morning when I come down to give her the medications she needs each day, and the first thing she says is I love you. Do you love me too? Fortunately, she does know who her children are and she even remembers some other family members. As long as she is on this earth and my family and I can see her, we are still truly blessed. We cannot and will not let this disease overtake our spirits and our hearts even though it is trying hard to destroy so many minds.My mom has been the force behind all of our successes. If is hard to me to see her this way each and every day. It is even hard to watch her do the things she does without realizing what she is doing. She says things that are rude and nasty which she would have said before. She is a kind and gentle person. She has always been there for us no matter what. Unfortunately, some of her family and her friends have forgotten her and that she still lives in the same place and in the same apartment. If you have a family member or a friend that has this horrible disease, go and see them even if you think they won't remember your name. You will be surprised that the person might know your face. You might give them that glimmer of hope and recogniztion that they really need just to smile.

Fran Lewis