THE CHAIR......PEGGY'S SAFE PLACE

 We had a very vocal electrical storm last evening.  As the lightening streaked across the dark clouds, it turned night into day. It was as if someone or something was turning a lamp off and on.

While I watched the storm, I thought about Peggy.  I thought about the storm that is raging through her brain. The storm called Alzheimer's sends lightening streaks to the message centers of her brain and when the lightening strikes...it turns her thoughts on and off.

Alzheimer's brainNormal brain  

 

I was on the phone with Peggy for over an hour this morning trying to convince her to get out of her chair and go to the bathroom. The sitter said that she had tried everything. I asked to speak to Peggy and I was sure that I could convince her! After all, we are best friends.

She would say O K to my suggestion that she should stand up but she would not budge from her chair. I told her that I would stay on the phone with her and we would walk to the bathroom together.     I told her that I needed to go to the bathroom and I wanted her to go with me. I tried everything to help her but I couldn't get through the storm of Alzheimer's.

When I finally said good-bye, Peggy was still in her chair and I felt like a failure. I really hoped that she would listen to me and feel safe enough to leave her chair. As hard as I tried, I could not get through the electrical storm in her brain with my love or humor.

 It was a very frustrating, sad call and the tears are flowing as I write because.......  I can picture Peggy sitting all day in her safe place......  

Her chair and she is looking at the world through the eyes of Alzheimer's.  

I Love You Today, Peggy!  

Mary Louise