I received a letter today from my sister dated January 21st (one day before my last post).
In it was a poem she’d found many years ago when our mother was entering the late stages of Alzheimer’s.
As twins, we’ve always had an uncanny ability to surprise each other in ways unimaginable.
In light of my recent post, the Frozen Man, I could only smile when I read this poem.
My sister’s timing was perfect. Go figure. 😉
If you have a family member suffering from this disease, print out the following poem and read it often.
My sister said reading it always makes her feel better and she hoped the same for me.
Thanks, m~
Yeah, it works for me, too . . .
~m
Heart Memories
by Louise M Eder
I remember you with my heart
My mind won’t say your name
I can’t recall where I knew you
Who you were
Or who I was.
Maybe I grew up with you
Or maybe we worked together
Or did we bowl together yesterday?
There’s something wrong with my memory
But I do know you
I know I knew you
And I do love you
I know how you make me feel
I remember the feelings we had together.
My heart remembers
It cries out in loneliness for you
For the feelings you give me now.
Today I’m happy that you have come.
When you leave
My mind will not remember that you were here
But my heart remembers
The feeling of friendship
And love returned.
Remembers
That I am less lonely
And happier today
Because of the feeling
Because you have come.
Please, please don’t forget me
And please don’t stay away
Because of the way my mind acts.
I can still feel you
I can remember with my heart
And a heart memory is maybe
The most important memory of all.
Smoke & Mirrors 
wow! just wow!
the only member {so far} of my family to be afflicted with this foul disease passed away last year as you know…as you also know i have my demons over the whole situation too…i’m so glad those demons won’t ever visit you or your sister ~m…you both seem to have a handle on it, or as best you can given the nature of it…things such as this would help i’m thinking…this is just beautiful…
*And a heart memory is maybe
The most important memory of all*
How true…
LikeLike
Marvellous – just how I imagine my mother-in-law may have felt or might have articulated had she been able to, whilst undergoing the changes wrought in her life by her Alzheimers. She loved to have her face smoothed, her hair and hands stroked and held while being visited. Her face glowed with serenity when she was touched this way, gently, or while we held newsy one way conversations with her. That is so simple to do, to be with a person so afflicted and normalizing their situation. I learned much about how I wish to be treated if ever so saddled with this condition, and gave as I thought I might want to be treated and given to. Such a very simple equation that this poem is about – empathy. G
LikeLike
Ah, I’m sorry about your mother and I do understand very well how it is living with or taking care of people with Alzheimers very well. Watching them go and alll the related feelings – it’s so hard at times.
I remember my grandmother who had played and taught piano all her life who was very confused about most things but man, she used to sit at the piano and her fingers remembered exactly what to do and she played the most beautiful music – that part just wasn’t lost and made her, and us, so very happy.
I wish more folks could have experiences like this with their sick relatives, friends, whoever. It’s such a sad illness.
Sorry, I do wish you all the best and I do hope that you are having a beautiful day today – and every day.
Peace, love and understanding.
LikeLike
Once again, you made me cry! I won’t be able to express anything the way I want to here, but your family sounds so amazing and beautiful and heartbreaking. Somehow, hope, joy and goodness always resounds in your posts. Thanks for this.
LikeLike
My grandfather has Alzheimer’s. This poem really soothes a sore spot. I think I’ll have to share it with my family.
LikeLike
I have printed the poem and plan to save it. Most people have been touched by Alzheimers disease in some way and this poem touches the heart. Thanks for sharing it and touching so many hearts with your words. Beautiful!
LikeLike
I’ll be taking it to work. there’ll be a copy on the notice board tomorrow and it’s going in the gimcrack’s newsletter for february.
hopefully it will give some comfort to the tearful relatives of our patients with alzheimers I deal with every day
thanks ~m
LikeLike
I love that poem.. hadn’t read it in a while, so I’m glad mom sent it to you 🙂
LikeLike
Oh wow.
That is just so brilliant.
LikeLike
How wonderfully coincidental that your sister sent that to you when she did. It is a beautiful poem and I’m glad to see from the above comments how many people it is helping. For myself, I am going to print it off and give it to my mother-in-law. Her mother recently passed away, and while she wasn’t diagnosed with alzheimers, she certainly had dementia. Interestingly, music was still very clear for her too.
Jennifer
LikeLike
Michael. You just made me laugh my ass off and now after reading the poem..I cried…for all the people I lost. At least you make me feel…which is a sign of a great writer.
LikeLike
hey I’ve had lots of good feedback from patient’s families re louise eder’s poem. where did your sister find it originally?
LikeLike
I’m thinking it may have been from the alzheimer’s website. Glad you enjoyed it. I’ve always loved the poem, and really believe that if our Mom or Dad could have expressed themselves, it is truly something they may have said. If only….
LikeLike
This is beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful, and there is love in every word.
LikeLike