welcome to the organic green doctor blog

i am a family physician who was diagnosed with
early mild cognitive impairment(mci) amnestic type on december 21, 2010
this is a precursor to alzheimers disease
because of this diagnosis i have opted to stop practicing medicine
this blog will be about my journey with this disease
please feel free to follow me along this path
i will continue blogging on organic gardening, green living,
solar power, rainwater collection, and healthy living
i will blog on these plus other things noted to be interesting

Monday, April 8, 2019

the smile revisited

THE SMILE REVISITED
i wrote this blog august 12, 2013 a few days after his death and funeral
we were in san francisco visiting our sons when we got the word he had died
we manage to fly home just in time for his funeral
i felt sad but felt some relief that his pain and suffering and his familys pain and suffering was over
he died at 62 years old in the final throes of alzheimers disease

if you knew him and what he was like before this disease took over then you will have a disdain a hatred for this awful disease

at his birthday which is today each year i go back and reread this blog i wrote
yes i tear up and cry remembering him

sometimes i feel guilty that here i am almost 6 years later doing well and he is gone
i do have a lot of introspection on my life on this day
i rethink my priorities in my life


his smile and his blue eyes his quietness his willing to help
his love for his family his service to the community 
all ended this last week

he is the face of alzheimers disease
he a father husband and grandfather with friends and family 
that loved him

it took him away from all of us last week
that terrible disease that robs a persons brain and takes
over 
and causes a downward decline that can not be stopped
no matter what you do once it starts

thats what happened to my younger brother last week
that awful disease took him

it bothers me a lot because he died and it really bothers me
a lot that the alzheimers disease took him away from us 
when he was so young
i thought this was an old persons disease

he was in the prime of his life when it started 7 years ago
im sure that he noticed things a long time before others 
began to notice
ive talked and communicated with others who are diagnosed with
the disease real early and yes they notice things are changing
a long time before others notice

its the cruelty of this disease when you know

of course since our mother died from the disease he im sure 
as we all do worried that he was next and he was

this  also bothers me a lot 
his death and seeing what his wife and kids and grandkids had 
to go through during this period of time 
i also know that if my diagnosis is correct that my path
will be the same as his
im glad that i know though that this is a possibility so i can plan 
and hopefully my family can be as good as his family was throughout
this whole ordeal

his wife should be given the caregiver of the year award by someone
i know we all give her our vote
as she suffered through this ordeal 
the financial and emotional devastation that it caused
she was there
he always knew that she was there
she was there to the end

he died in the hospice house surrounded by his wife
his girls and his grandkids his friends and family 

may he rest in peace and may his family rest now in peace

his visitation the night before had a 2 1/2 hour line waiting to see 
the family 
a tribute to how well liked he was 
this silent guy with the blue eyes and that smile that so many 
people commented on 

the salute by the fire department 
the sounding of the final bells
the tribute of the sheriffs department
the presentation to his wife of the flag

the excellent funeral service by his minister who knew him 
as he told stories about my brother
the songs sung by a young man
who at one point had to pause as he teared up
a building packed to capacity to honor him
my younger brother 

yes may he rest in peace
ive shed my tears many times this last week
but ive smiled a lot 
like he use to
as i remember the things we use to do together when we 
were young
some mischievous some not
well most were probably mischievous

ill remember your last visit to our house when we had a lot
of time together 
the alzhiemers had its hold on you then 
you know as the words wouldnt come out right 
and as you said you couldnt remember things 

then our family reunion last month
when your wife that courageous dedicated wife brought you
there in that wheelchair bed
you were in there somewhere 
we were and all are glad that she made the effort to have you there
surrounded by all the noise and happiness
somewhere inside i think you knew you were there and enjoyed it

i cherish the visits i had with you that weekend
you didnt talk back but i talked to you anyway
i think you knew i was there

im glad now that you are at peace
and your family 

yes the mirror in which i look at is gone

rip 
we will all miss you

i hope to revisit this blog on his birthday each year
to keep his memory in my brain as long as i can

the organicgreen doctor

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