I spent the best part of yesterday in Canterbury, meeting my SD, attended HC at my old parish and met up with friends from those days. Since my SD took that service it was a double bonus for praying with him twice in the morning, followed by a lovely quiet, soup lunch at his home.
The sad thing was to meet S, a lovely lady, whose been suffering from Alzieimers disease for a year or so. In the month since we last met, she has become more confused and dependent. But brought to church by her daughter, she was able to follow the service with gusto and without the aid of a service book, respond appropriately – the familiar words and rythms haven’t left her, after a lifetime of Christianity.
Sometimes I feel questions arising in my mind about dementia and how God can allow good people to suffer. The reality is that S still knows who she is, but has increasing short term memory issues which are frustrating for her husband, who is himself not well – and is her carer. My younger sister too suffers from this horrible disease and has been in residential care for the past three years – as her husband could no longer cope with her. She doesn’t recognise anyone at all, which has been a painful journey for him and her children.
I know that God isn’t causing the suffering, which is a human condition, which medical science is making strides to help people in the future, but for those suffering now, there is so little hope. In S’s case, her church community have rallied around to help, but their friendship and support can only stretch so far. It appears that S may soon need to be provided with more support in respite residential care, and there is a very good unit in the village that does just that thing. When I was there, I had the privilege to take home communion to them and with prayer and some music, they despite their condition would remember the words of the BCP and the hymns we sang and join in.
My day – some walking about 1/2 mile.
Rating Lovely, mixed with Sad.
Would I do it again – yes, next month in fact.
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