Thank you Terry

Welcome to the Sir Terry Pratchett Forums
Register here for the Sir Terry Pratchett forum and message boards.
Sign up

Raygan

New Member
Feb 19, 2009
1
1,650
#1
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Terry Pratchett for standing up and showing everyone how heart breaking and soul destroying living with Alzheimer's is.
My nan, who I was very close to was taken by Alzheimer's 3 years ago and although her body is still breathing, her mind has died. I haven't been able to go and see her in 3 years as I want to remember the person I loved and not the shell when she finally does go.
This illness is in someways far worse for the family than for the suffer as once they have gone they know or remember no-one in the present, but for us family members, you are going through a very long, drawn out grieving process and yet you still have to care for your loved one.
Thank you so very much Terry for your documentary and we can only hope that more funds are made available for the research into Alzheimer's.
Thank you for reading this.
(Apologies if this is a repeat thread, I'm a newbie)
 
Oct 13, 2008
2,118
2,650
Devon
#2
Hi Raygan, welcome to the forum. I am very sorry to hear about your Nan. I think most of us here, if not all, know someone, who has had or have a Family member, or one of their own Family suffering from this dreadful condition.
My best friend's Mother had it & my friend said it was her Mum sat in the chair, looking at her, but the person she was/had been, had vanished, so I do know what you mean.
It is horrible for the other people in the Family to go through.
 

Tonyblack

Super Moderator
City Watch
Jul 25, 2008
30,841
3,650
Cardiff, Wales
#3
Welcome Raygan. It's incredibly hard, I should imagine, watching someone you love's identity disappearing like that. Alzheimer's is a cruel illness, not just on the person who has it, but also on those who care about that person.
 

Jason

Special Constable
Jul 10, 2008
727
2,650
52
Pontarddulais - Wales
discworldmonthly.co.uk
#5
Welcome. My nan is the same. The last time I saw her was early 2008 - my parents still visit every week but she doesn't know who they are any more. When I took my kids to see her she kept asking who they were and then immediately forgetting and asking again. Some of the other old people in the home took a shine to my 4 year old and tried to grab her and talk to her and that freaked her out - she had nightmares for a few days after that.

So we've never been back. My nan has never met my youngest child but wouldn't know or remember even if she had. As far as I am concerned, and I don't mean this to sound callus, my nan died years ago - the person in the home is just an old lady that is no longer related to me who thinks she is a teenager and is just waiting for her daddy to come and take her home.
 
#6
I watched my grandma succumb to Senile Dementia. It was at once heartbreaking, and funny, I was my uncles daughter at one point! She forgot that I was the daughter of HER daughter. She even forgot her daughter was her daughter and thought she was a nice lady to come and help her with her garden.

I loved her and, though it was eight years ago, I sorely miss her!

So my heart goes out not just to Terry but his wife Lyn and daughter Rihanna too. Love you Tel!
 

User Menu

Newsletter