Someone to watch over me.

Even though I am terminally ill, I consider myself very fortunate to have my wife caring for me.
Her selfless dedication moved up a gear immediately following my Alzheimer diagnosis. Not once has she been overwhelmed or shown any self pity for inheriting the awful sentence of ongoing self sacrifice  and drudgery brought about through my illness. Nether does she have any illusions of what lies ahead for both of us, as I continue my journey.
There are many other Alzheimer Pilgrims in similar situations throughout the world, all reliant on personal care from guardian angels. All striving to give love, support, comfort and solace to their charges. Without these men, women,carers and family members, our quality of life would  be completely intolerable. We the victims of this dreaded disease salute you all.
I dedicate this humble verse to all of the guardian angels.

'Someone to watch over me.'

'Reality ceased when told my brain was dying,
fear and dread joined in partnership to replace hope and optimism,
all thoughts of future happiness came crashing,
the foggy curtain of mixed emotions denies the scale most awesome,
selfish thoughts do conspire to survive these events most daunting,
I look to gather armour and support from within the caring familial sanctum,
the all encompassing and reassuring comfort of having,
Someone to watch over me.'

"Down Memory Lane"

This stunning surrealist painting inspired me to write another poem.

"Down Memory Lane"

This dreaded malady robbing precious glimpses of times and things past,

my prognosis of Alzheimer's dictating what the fates cast,

the clinging to ghostly reflections and experiences of the cerebral process, 

inspires me to wage war on my new enemies time and aimlessness,

thoughts pervade the eroding cognitive operation to seek sanctuary,

by walking the path down memory lane to times more happy. 

nostalgia swells within my being offering backward glimpses worth seeing,

safer times offer comfort to the Pilgrim entering this wondrous place of healing,

memories coming thick and fast will they stay will they last,

anxieties,irritation and stress momentarily exorcised in this oasis of the past,

to stay and take refuge from the crafty evil MrAlzheimer, 

to keep walking the path down memory lane to times more happier.

Tilting At The Windmills Of My Mind: "The Garden"

Tilting At The Windmills Of My Mind: "The Garden": I love gardens, particularly my own! Having mobility problems I tend to take advantage of any good weather and camp outside in a favouri...

Tilting At The Windmills Of My Mind: "Think of me my friends, forget me not"

Tilting At The Windmills Of My Mind: "Think of me my friends, forget me not": Over the years I have enjoyed reading poetry but have never really got up the courage to attempt having a go, until now! I humbly submit...

"The Garden"

I love gardens, particularly my own! Having mobility problems I tend to take advantage of any good weather and camp outside in a favourite seat. Often smoking my beloved pipe in contemplation, I am instantly transported to an oasis of calm.
Recently I started dabbling in Poetry, having decided to jump in and have a go. I was moved to write another , number two.This one was inspired by my garden, I trust that it is not to terrible!



"The Garden"

In the beginning Eden was the first,
born of contrived partnership with nature,
to be eternally nursed,
bringing seem-less order from chaos,
man and nature combine to emboss,
from a floral palette making less duller
bringing a kaleidoscope of colour,
painful thoughts and worries absorbed by beauty,
quiet contemplation gives birth to peace and tranquility,
birdsong enhancing the ambient choir of insect sound,
defies the impression of being here earthbound,
so easy to see this sanctuary of natural and sensory delights,
compelling the Pilgrim to memorise a feast of reflective insights.

My Alzheimer's and Inspirational stimuli - Music appreciation.

It has long been known by health professionals, that the use of music in it's various forms can enhance the quality of life for dementia patients. Particularly for those in the later stages of the disease.

I have always enjoyed listening to music. There are many types that are easily categorised such as popular,classic,jazz,country,folk,rock,reggae etc.It is easy to see how it can interrelate with people's memories in regard to personal events,time and place.

Going through the decades which I have known,there are certain popular tunes and melodies that evoke a smile of recognition each time I hear them.

Even as a child of the 1940's,I remember well the recognisable tunes of that era such as Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade",Vera Lynn "The White Cliffs of Dover",Bing Crosby and the Andrews sisters"Don't fence me in",Bing Crosby and "White Christmas",Edith Piaf La Vien Rose.

The 1950's brought Nat King Cole and "Mona Lisa", Fat's Domino "On Blueberry Hill", Patii Page "The Tennesee Waltz",Elvis Presley "Jailhouse Rock",Bill Haley and The Comets "Rock around the Clock".

In the 1960's popular music really took off with,Chubby Checker "The Twist",Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never",Neil Sedaka "Calendar Girl",The Shadows "Apache",the Beatles "Love Me Do".

1970's brought Simon and Garfunkel and "Bridge over troubled water",the Beatles and "Let it Be", the Jackson 5 "ABC",the Carpenters "Close to You", Free and "Alright Now",the Hollies and "He ain't heavy he's my brother",Anne Murray"Snowbird".
1980's we had Phil Collins "In the air tonight",Huey Lewis "The Power of Love",the Buggles "Video killed the radio star",Survivor "Eye of the Tiger", Billy Ocean "When the going gets tough", Toto and "Africa".
1990's brought Madonna "Vogue",MC Hammer "U can't touch this",Sinead O'Connor "Nothing compares to you",Gloria Estefan "Here we are",Bette Midler "From a Distance".

With the commencement of the new millennium my musical tastes mellowed somewhat and I began to enjoy the easier more relaxing listening of Jazz and Classical pieces. Having a brief flirtation with Jazz giants such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan,Louise Armstrong,Dizzy Gillespie,Duke Ellington and the incomparable Miles Davis.

New technology has meant that we can carry hundreds of our favourite pieces in small MP3 players such as iPods. Linked to these by light, discreet headphones. Even at this stage of my illness I am still able to maximise this technology and hope to do so for some time to come.

My ideal treatment, weather permitting is peaceful contemplation, sitting in the garden on a warm summer's day, with a glass of wine, listening to some soothing classical gems, such as Vaughn Williams "The Lark Arising", or Debussy's "Clair De Lune", Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" or the serene Chopin "Nocturnes", any of these beautiful pieces will  set the mood to calm and smooth any anxieties.

The beauty of music being used in the fight against dementia is not the type or choice of content but the effect that it has on individuals in taking them to a place of sanctuary in their turbulent minds.

My Alzheimer's and Inspirational stimuli - Visual Art appreciation.

Visual art can provide meaning to what many with dementia experience as an ever increasingly meaningless life. In my opinion, art connects people to their culture and to their community. It gives meaning to life after diagnosis and it's meaning and stimulus that people living with Alzheimer's like me so dearly crave. I enjoy the simple visual pleasure of art appreciation, having failed miserably due to arthritis, at the physical taking part by trying to improve my practical skills of sketching and painting. 

As a child I used to frequent the local Museum's and Art Galleries at week-ends.We were very fortunate in that the City where we lived, had a marvellous inherited collection of world famous works.Viewing these collections sowed the seeds of my appreciation,I was in awe of the beauty and craft that was on show.One painting in particular had a profound effect on me as a child,I never tired of standing, sometimes for long periods of time and being lost in that painting. It was Salvador Dali's 'The Christ of St John of the Cross'. As a child of seven the religious significance of the picture was lost to me, it was purely the realistic panoramic effect of a man suspended in the sky overlooking the world.Magical.

Since my diagnosis I have taken advantage of the new computer technology of the Internet and it's potential for viewing wonderful pieces of art from all over the world. I appreciate that the ambience of a museum or gallery is missing when surfing art examples on the web. However there are myriad styles to help stimulate the mind's various moods and emotions in the interpretation of the visual senses triggered. Art reveals to us the essence of things,the essence of our existence. I also find comfort in viewing certain art works.Many I find calming when I am feeling agitated,afraid or anxious. I find it very theraputic and hope that I can continue to benefit from these marvellous visual experiences,even into the latter stages of my inevitable cognitive decline .