Through a Sibling's Eyes...

                                                                        MY BROTHER

As a three year old I remember holding my daddy’s hand as we walked into The Clinic to see my baby brother. I remember Mrs. Adams pointing out to me the baby that was mine. They all looked alike to me, and I couldn’t understand how she knew that one was mine. I remember holding the screen door open as the ambulance attendants brought my mother and baby brother into our house on a stretcher. (How times have changed!) These are the first things I remember in my life.

During our growing up years I was the quiet, shy, reserved “first” child. My brother was the “baby” with a happy-go-lucky attitude.  When Mr. Baskin learned that we were brother and sister, he said he absolutely couldn’t believe it…I worried about everything and my Robert worried about nothing.

And then he grew up. He owned his own pharmacy and excelled beyond his home borders in that profession. He had a family. He was a community and church leader. He is such a compassionate person, even now. He told me one time that every day as he drove to work, he asked God to provide an opportunity for him to help someone that day.

What I see and hear now is heartbreaking! Both of our parents had dementia. Our daddy had vascular dementia, and our mother had Alzheimer’s. Neither of those horrible experiences prepared me for Lewy Body Dementia. Although Robert has struggled for over a year, since March of this year he has crashed physically. When I talk to him on the phone, his cognitive skills are so encouraging. But after just a few minutes of talking, his voice starts to fade, and he says, “I’ve got to go. I love you. Bye.”  He goes blank.

I have read that an Alzheimer’s patient has a downward decline in abilities whereas with Lewy Body Disease, it is a roller coaster ride…there are ups and downs in abilities throughout the disease. I pray for lots of  “up” days knowing that as the disease progresses the down days will come more often and last longer. But there is the possibility of  “up” days even then.  I hold on to that ray of hope.

God is faithful. He has seen our family through other painful times, and He takes this journey with us. I am thankful for the many friends, neighbors, and church family Robert and Judy have who are coming to their aid. I’m thankful for my own friends and church family who do not know my brother, but still express support, concern, and prayers to Gary and me.

~Charlotte