Losing the Memories of Now

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Today’s Blog Post


Losing the Memories of Now

I am more than a little bit shocked as I read the story On Tuesday, January 18. The paragraph that stated,
“When she was found, the woman wasn't wearing her coat or glasses and she had no pulse.

"Our officers tried CPR. Due to her condition, the hypothermia, the chest compressions were difficult," said Dube.”

The woman was found at 5:30 AM by a person delivering newspapers. It was Minus 20 C with an added wind chill that made it fell much, much lower yet. How much sadder can that be?

Worse yet as Police checked on the situation, neighbour had heard someone cry out or scream at that early hour of about 2:00 AM and never called 911. The poor woman was not far from home.

Her husband woke at 2:00 AM to find his wife gone. He called police. A search was launched by 4:45 AM. 2 hours and 45 minutes after the call went in… but by that time it would have been too late anyway.

She was 66 years old and walked away from her home at about 2:00 AM. She was apparently suffering from a dementia (Alzheimer’s Disease).

The newspaper that had sub headline that declared her to be a senior citizen.

The article stated that…
“Police said finger marks could be seen on a vehicle in the driveway where the woman had likely tried to pull herself up off of the ground.
There were also scratch marks on the screen door to the home and Dube said he suspects the woman may have tried to get inside.”

Imagine… screams that no one heard… a search party that was launched 2 hour and 45 minutes later… and a woman that didn’t know where home was… couldn't connect the dots to get back… even after stepping out into the cold air.

Short term memory loss is the issue. When she took one or two steps away from her home she would have no idea that she had just left her home. There is no steps or thought that is there to retrace.

I know a number of folk right now that are now suffering the early memory loss. It will not likely get better they have been told. Family members are not fully aware of what is happening – or are denying it altogether.

This story could well be one that scares them awake all night for fear that their husband or wife will some day slip away as well.

I write profusely now... in that later something like this may happen to me. When and if it does I would be unlikely able to begin the writing process. I would start towards the computer and then forget – or not know why I came to do something. The will might be there.. but the next action necessary to accomplish it would not be.

Yes I am worried. Few males in my family have lived as long as I have. Soon I will be 67. My dad died at 69… and he was one of the longest living males in his family tree. Few males lived long enough to be able to achieve the potential memory loss stage.

The part that is never written about, and this story is the same, little is said about the husband or wife that is living the 36 hour day – each day for the rest of their life. And that fact that the poor man likely had each night filled with the horror that his wife might try to leave the house. The night that he didn’t wake up after the weeks without sleep was the night that she died.

God please help this man through these very difficult days to come.

God help us to find help in our families when we may face issues like this. May we not be so proud that we cannot reach out for help. May we also not be so alone that no one will connect with us.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

Resource
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/woman-66-dies-toronto-driveway-no-one-answers-20110117-072013-584.html