Family Matters

Poems, Personal Stories and Experiences of Caregivers and Their Families  I have been caring for my mother with Alzheimer for numerous years. She is now in the last stage of the disease, which for me is perhaps the most difficult phase to cope with. The progress of Alzheimer can be swift or linger on for years, as it has with my mother. Nancy Regan, former first lady, has described Alzheimer as "the long, long, goodbye".  One of my coping strategies is reading . I would like to share with other Caregivers a couple of poems that for me puts into words those feelings I now experience      when with my mother.           submitted by D.D..     She Doesn't Know Me She doesn't know me anymore - Doesn't recognize my face - This woman who carried  me and raised me now cannot seem to place Just where it is she knows me from - Nor how I came to be The truth of this realization is simply crushing me I understand the illness is taking her away But something deep inside  me still grieves each day goes by For she is yet my mother even though I know she tries To make sense out of nothing - Her life - Now lost to me It hurts so bad because I love her - And she doesn't even know me..... © 1999 Dorothy Womack If you are internet connected you may read  more of Dorothy's  poems and writings at                www.geocities.com/womack47/index  It's a Long Goodbye She's leaving me, little by little, I wish she wouldn't go.      I  will be there as long as she needs me. How do I let her know I'd like to hold on to the memories, I'd also like to share. But she's further away, getting further away. And yet, she's always there. It's a long good-bye, and yet I believe that she can sense us. So much time between now and then, when it's time against us. There are times she almost seems like herself. Sometimes it's just a phase. A part of the person I once knew, and sometimes just a trace. It's a long good-bye and still I don't know just what to say There's so much time between now and then, because she goes away, a long good-bye  Tell me how do all the others do it? There's so much time between now and then. How do we get through it? It's a long good-bye.   Author Unknown     The views expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily those endorsed by Family Caregiver Connection