All Eight

While reading news articles online today, I happened to see an article about 8 symptoms of Alzheimer's. Of course, anything with "Alzheimer's" in the title catches my attention, so I immediately clicked over and started reading. I read the first symptom--and thought, "Yes, Mother has that." On to the second one--and again, "Mother has that." Same with the third...and the fourth...and so on...all the way to the end.

All eight. She has all eight. That shouldn't surprise me; but to tell you the truth, there are still times when I wonder, "Is she really so bad off? Has it really progressed so much? Is her behavior really so abnormal? After all, it's typical for older people to have some memory problems...and she's still basically functional...and...and..."

But then I realize that, yes, she certainly has the disease; and even though her progression (which is really a regression) is mercifully slow, and even though she (and we) have learned to compensate in so many ways for her failing mind, she still has it.

And always will.

Until the end, whenever that may be.

How I long for heaven and the restoration she will enjoy when she gets to that perfect place!