Grandpa Stanley

When I left my Dad's today, I left feeling sad. Grandpa is so confused. His Alzheimer's/Dementia is getting pretty bad. The girls were real nice. They answered the same questions over and over again without complaint. I wish there was more I could do for him. I also feel bad for my Dad. He's taking on the responsibility of taking care of Grandpa. It can't be easy to see your parent in that kind of state. Grandpa quit smoking years ago since it was affecting my Grandma's health but since Grandma passed away he's taken it up again. I asked him today how he was feeling and he told me he wasn't doing well. I asked him why not and he said he didn't know. He asked me numerous times what I've been up to, where my husband was working, if he drove his car down(he didn't, my Dad brought him down), and if he turned his air conditioning down. He kept saying he better head home. We explained over and over that Dad had brought him down and his car was at home. He wandered around aimlessly going outside to the porch to smoke or up to his room. He must have changed his seat while watching t.v. 10 or more times. You could just see the confusion and sadness on his face. It was truly heartbreaking. I hope we are strong enough as a family to circle around Grandpa and help him the best we can. I want him to know that he is loved, he may not know it but he'll never be alone. We'll always be there for him. The girls were very confused at first but now that they know that it is a disease and can't be cured with a magic pill they're more accepting and patient. I can only pray for patience and guidance for me and my family. I will always have fond memories of my Grandpa. He was always the strong silent type with a big heart. He was always willing to help my family when we needed it, now it's our turn.

We love you Grandpa.