There’s a lyric from a song I like by Dua Lipa that has absolutely nothing to do with Alzheimer’s, but it makes me think of it nonetheless.
“Though it took some time to survive you, I’m better on the other side.”
That’s exactly how I feel about my Alzheimer’s journey.
It took a long time to survive it, but I’m a better person on the other side.
I would never say that I’m grateful my mom had Alzheimer’s, but I am grateful for what it taught me and for the person it made me become.
I believe that I had to go through what I went through, exactly the way I went through it, in order for me to be who I am and where I am today.
I wouldn’t be this person—doing what I do, doing what I love—if I didn’t go through it.
All of it has led me to this exact moment in my life where I am fully prepared to help the person I used to be.
David Kessler says there is a sixth stage of grief called “finding meaning.”
When you’re in the thick of this journey, there’s no such thing as meaning. It’s impossible to even consider it.
When your loved one first dies, you can’t imagine ever feeling healed enough to find meaning in your loss.
But now 18 months later, I believe that’s where I’m at. I’m finding meaning. In many ways, I’ve already found it.
I survived.
I’m better on the other side.
And I’m ready to help you do the same.
Who’s with me?
* If this post resonated with you, I can help you find ways to manage your grief. Check out my new mentoring services for Alzheimer’s daughters.
** If you liked this post, you will love my new book “When Only Love Remains: Surviving My Mom’s Battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s.” It’s available on all Amazon marketplaces.
I love this