Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. My dear friend Joanne, bless her heart, has been taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer's. I don't know how Joanne does it -- she has the strength of a lioness and the heart of a Goddess. She inspires me. There is so much love there I feel blessed to know her. And the most amazing thing is that Joanne doesn't boast about her sacrifices and whine about her hardship. Not many people even know how difficult it is for her to keep up with the daily routines, how exhausting everything is to take care of a sick mother 24 hours a day -- and sometimes people forget to ask how she is doing, because Joanne won't ask for sympathy. She takes everything in stride and does what she believes in. Every parent should have a child like Joanne. Heck, everyone should have someone like Joanne. I have nothing but admiration and respect for her. She's my hero.

My other friend is dealing with the same problem with his father, who also has Alzheimer's. Just two months ago his father was fine, and now he is in rehab, and soon they have to decide what to do -- his father needs 24-hour care. The sad thing is that his father's insurance will not pay for anything and the government won't take over until his assets are all depleted. So, the poor guy saved his money all his life, and ends up giving it all to assisted living or a nursing home, while someone who spent it all would be eligible for Medicaid and veteran benefits (yes, he is a WWII veteran). It's so unfair.

My thoughts go out to both Joanne and Ralph. My best wishes to you both and I'm sure everything will turn out okay at the end.