The meaning of things.

In the past year just about all of my patients had some level of dementia. But there was one who I spent the most time with and came to know very well. I watched him disappear into the insidious thief known as Alzheimer's Disease each week. Some weeks were better than others but eventually he was just a shell of the man I had met just 12 short months before. It broke my heart and I would cry each time I left his house, knowing how desperately he needed the safety of group home, my hands tied by a system that was broken beyond repair. Eventually I was able to help him to a place where he was safe, fed, warm and clean. He was happy which made me happy. It was about this time that I first heard Ed Sheeran's "Afire Love". At first I thought it was a love song but as I listened, I realized it was talking about Alzheimer's. I did some research and sure enough, Mr. Sheeran's grandfather died from the disease last year inspiring this song.  

I hate Alzheimer's disease. It's a dirty rotten bastard. According to Alzheimers.net, "Alzheimer's affects more people than cancer, heart disease and AIDS combined." Such a sad truth. It is my every hope that research continues to be funded to find the cause and prevention for this horrible disease. Until then, I will continue to love on the elderly who are afflicted with it, and help their families find hope.