Dementia And A Miracle

 

Hello friends!

It’s been quite some time since I’ve been here with laptop in hand, ready to write.   Guess I needed this time of reflection to process a life changing news.  And so, the best thing I knew to do was to push the pause button on this blog.

If you have been following for the past several years, you know that I write about life, struggles, and how to stay faithful and positive.  What you don’t know is what prompted me to begin this blog in the first place.  I believe now that hearing a medical diagnosis, either for you or a family member takes time to accept and come to terms with.  News like this can paralyze you THIS MUCH!

In His still, small voice God prompted my spirit to speak and open my soul up to everyone who reads this.  And I know I had to be obedient to His call.

Several years ago, my husband, at the young age of 52 was diagnosed with dementia.  To say this news rocked our entire world is an understatement!  We were crushed on every side and hopeless.  How in the world does a young, vibrant, healthy, retired paramedic, firefighter get this kind of news?    How does this kind of thing happen to us?

We spent the next year in a complete blur. My husband and I had no words, only deep sorrow.  Several times a day our eyes would meet for several seconds and then we would just walk away.  There was nothing we could say, and felt like there was nothing we could do.  All we had were raw emotions to feel and many tears to shed. We were doing the things that needed to get done around the house and that’s about all the strength we could muster up. We were numb!

As the weeks progressed I didn’t know where to turn, but the one thing I knew is that I was going to fight and fight hard!  I took a leave of absence from my job and began looking into stem cell studies that he would be eligible to participate in.  Shortly thereafter, we were informed that he was eligible and several months later he was undergoing extensive testing to prep for the study.  Then on November 8, 2016 he received stem cells.

It’s has now been 3 years since that November day and he remains stable.  By the grace of God, the disease hasn’t progressed much.

Today, we continue to fight the good fight.  We continue to walk our journey as best as possible with the changes that have occurred thus far.    It has taken some time, but I now enjoy life again with a “new” guy by my side.  I’ve finally learned to embrace his new personality and to feel joy again.  The joy of the Lord is OUR STRENGTH.

My increased patience, the strength I carry, and the peace I experience daily I know all come from God.  He walks alongside our little family and sticks by us through it all.

My family, friends, and church community continue to pray for a miracle in this situation and believe it will happen.  God’s promises are true and we hold on to each one of them.

Each day I wake up with an expectant heart that today will be the day our miracle comes.