Indestructibility and Frailty
I came across this article (When Love Isn’t as Simple as Standing by Your Man) the other day and, although it does not directly address aging, I felt that everything the Eirik Gumeny says, and the experiences he and his wife had surrounding his lung transplant, absolutely applies to anyone caring for someone living with dementia.
I will let you read the article itself (it is wonderfully written). As you read it, imagine a couple living with dementia. The overwhelm, the juggling of work, medical appointments, caring for a loved one; they all translate easily to our world. Dementia affects everyone involved, from the person with the diagnosis, to their primary care partner, to family, to friends. The closer we are to the center of the “storm” the more we are battered by it. Love has little to do with one’s ability to weather all that is hurled at you while living through this disease. As Mr. Gumeny says, the love between partners may be indestructible, but we are not!
