Birthday Party

Our family recently got together to celebrate the birthday of my Nanny. This is the wife of my recently deceased Papa. My nanny has had Alzheimers for at least 6-7 years, and recently moved into a retirement home after my Papa fell in December '11.

Its tough being close to someone with Alzheimers. The small things that confused her like why there were so many people around her and why she had to blow on candles on a cake. But she is a good, christian woman. Someone who used to make the best chicken & dumplings and biscuits. Someone who was a good person. This celebration was worth getting this picture of me (left), her, and my sis (right).

Theres a picture of her in her room at the age of 15 - when asking her who it was, she could pin point exactly where it was, that it was her, and how old she was. I showed her a picture of her and my papa, and she stated that she knows him and saw him a few weeks ago, (he passed away over 2 months ago). This reminded me of the song by Rascal Flatts, 'Ellsworth'. A song that will take you back to the movie, 'The Notebook'.
A few memories of the two of them over the past year that I will never forget.
1 - When my mom was talking to my grandfather on the phone early this past summer, my papadidn't hang up the phone all the way. My mother decided to listen in and hear what they were saying. My nanny, (in the progressed stage of Alzheimers) said out loud, 'why are you staring at me'? My papaat the time 90 years old, just plainly said, 'I cant help it, your beautiful'!
2 - As my grandfather is in the fetal position in the last stage of his life, on his death bed, my nanny, (who had not been able to place who my papa was for the past 3 months) asked my mother if she could speak the the gentleman laying in the bed. My mother said of course. As my nanny got up and hobbeled to the bed, my papa rolled on his side to face her, with his eyese closed in severe pain. She placed her hand on his hand and stated, 'you were a good husband to me, and great father, and my best friend. It is ok to go, I am taken care of'. Two hours later my Papa passed away. Its like he needed to know she was ok before he left her. As the pastor said at his funeral, he always said when he went to heaven, he was going to carry Jean (my nanny) in his pocket.