Will not surrender.

Balloon Fiesta '15

I can remember these days. When we were together, even when we weren't together. The freedom to come and go and not worry if she would be OK. These were also the days that Dementia was starting to grow. It hadn't blossomed into full memory loss, but the signs were there. 

My oldest asked if she didn't want her and the family here, because she seemed so stand offish. I told her she was having problems and I thought she might be coming down with Alzheimer's. This was before I had her tested. 

Come to think about it, I just knew she was heading that way. You can't live with a person for all those years without knowing or sensing that something is wrong. Even when we found out, there wasn't anything we could of done to prevent the change that was coming our way. 

Dementia, Alzheimer's, and the rest of the memory stealing diseases are cruel turns of life. Yet I will not surrender Sweetie to a facility, a home, for as long as I can keep her with me. I hate the simple fact that these "Golden Years" are being stolen from us. 

Yet again, with this disease, I've learned so much more about how to love my Sweetie. Yesterday, while on the course, I was singing to her, little choruses from old songs, and "You are my Sunshine" came to mind. Singing please don't take my sunshine away, just hit home. That is when she turned and sang it with me. I was an emotional wreck. That sealed it for me, I will keep my Sunshine Sweetie with me until her sunsets. 

My Driver knows that without pain, you cannot know the joy awaiting. Like after every storm, there is sunshine. Even during the storm, there are rainbows promising a better time ahead. He is willing to drive me through the storms and into the sunshine as we travel down the Road to Dementia Town, Keeping our Shiny Sides Up. Caravan is moving, join us as we go, down the Road to Dementia Town, Keeping your Shiny Side Up. C'ya, Luv ya, and God Bless.