Born in the Winter of 1937 in the Upper-Midwest to proud German and Polish parents; Dee was baptized and christened in the Roman Catholic faith. The youngest of four children with three older brothers. She would tell of being “one of the boys”, a true “tomboy”, of her escapades with one of her brothers and of often getting into trouble with Mom. She loved her Grandmother dearly and slipped away to visit her as often as she could, especially savoring Grandma’s home-baked pies.
She and her young friends loved to play tricks on grown-ups. They would be walking around the busy downtown shopping area, stopping suddenly, they would all look upwards and stare. Then they would giggle when many of the passersby would look up also. Her and her friends had a thing they called “foreign-talk.“ They would speak loudly in public using gibberish words and then chuckle to themselves as the passing shoppers gave inquisitive looks and wondered what they were saying. “Jigga-wagga”, was her favorite personal word that she always claimed to have made up.
Before retiring at around age 62, Dee worked hard all of her life, a small portion of it as a “single mom” before she met and fell in love with Jay in 1973. Much of her career was as a cashier in various commercial enterprises and later in clerical positions in the field of engineering. She was a proficient typist. She lived in a Midwestern suburb when she and Jay first met. Not long afterwards in 1975 they took the vows of Holy Matrimony and settled in the high-desert Southwest of the U.S. It was here that they lived together for thirty-three years, both working much of the time to make ends meet; Jay as a graphic artist/printer in the hospitality industry.
She was a very good cook with beef and pork “chop suey” being one of her preparations favored by all. She also loved to read, work outdoors in her garden and at a late stage in life began to play piano once again after a hiatus of nearly fifty years. Her memory of her childhood lessons served her well as she was an extraordinarily gifted pianist playing primarily her classical favorites, Beethoven, Mozart and of course, the Polish genius Chopin, her most favorite.
Personality-wise, Dee was a classic example of a “Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.” If threatened or provoked she could be mean, vicious and hateful. She could lay waste to the world’s strongest man if she felt that he threatened to harm those that she loved; she was very caring and protective. On the other side, one could not find a more gentle, generous and loving human being on Earth.
She loved children and especially babies; babies both human and animal. She very often kept dogs and cats as pets and loved them all dearly.
In early 2005, poor Dee was diagnosed with an illness known as “vascular dementia,” a neurological disorder in the broad spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease. Specifically called, “fronto-temporal dementia" (FTD). With partially blocked arteries, oxygen-rich blood failed to reach certain parts of her brain and she subsequently began to lose many of her cognitive skills. Losing her short-term memory at first, followed soon thereafter by a loss of reasoning ability, speech and finally both major and minor motor skills (standing, walking, holding things); an inability to perform the tasks of daily living without assistance. Jay attempted to care for her in the home for a time but eventually it became obvious that more skilled and professional assistance was required.
On Thanksgiving afternoon, 2008, Dee was admitted to the hospital emergency room with a diagnosis of “failure to thrive.”
Thus began her fairly short but comfortable existence in a Long-Term Skilled Nursing Facility. Here the staff very soon grew to know her and love her. As with most Alzheimer’s victims she continued to have “good” days and some “not so good” days. On Friday April 3rd she was “up and about” sitting upright in a rolling chair while Jay and one of her sons pushed her gently up and down the hallway of the Home. She was smiling, happy and seemed eager to see all that there was to see outside of her room. A true wonder to behold as, up until a week or so before that, she had not left her bed for more than three months.
Four brief days later she was administered auxiliary oxygen, had not eaten nor taken fluids for several days and in the late morning of Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 she very peacefully, painlessly and quietly, simply slipped away.
She leaves survivors, on this earthly plane; two older brothers, her beloved spouse Jay, five loving children; three adorable grand-children; and an infant great-grandson.
So it was, that the Good Lord looked down upon my darling Dee and said,
“Come, take My Hand and go with Me dear child, your time is finished here.”
May her beautiful Soul and Spirit forever Rest in Peace
She and her young friends loved to play tricks on grown-ups. They would be walking around the busy downtown shopping area, stopping suddenly, they would all look upwards and stare. Then they would giggle when many of the passersby would look up also. Her and her friends had a thing they called “foreign-talk.“ They would speak loudly in public using gibberish words and then chuckle to themselves as the passing shoppers gave inquisitive looks and wondered what they were saying. “Jigga-wagga”, was her favorite personal word that she always claimed to have made up.
Before retiring at around age 62, Dee worked hard all of her life, a small portion of it as a “single mom” before she met and fell in love with Jay in 1973. Much of her career was as a cashier in various commercial enterprises and later in clerical positions in the field of engineering. She was a proficient typist. She lived in a Midwestern suburb when she and Jay first met. Not long afterwards in 1975 they took the vows of Holy Matrimony and settled in the high-desert Southwest of the U.S. It was here that they lived together for thirty-three years, both working much of the time to make ends meet; Jay as a graphic artist/printer in the hospitality industry.
She was a very good cook with beef and pork “chop suey” being one of her preparations favored by all. She also loved to read, work outdoors in her garden and at a late stage in life began to play piano once again after a hiatus of nearly fifty years. Her memory of her childhood lessons served her well as she was an extraordinarily gifted pianist playing primarily her classical favorites, Beethoven, Mozart and of course, the Polish genius Chopin, her most favorite.
Personality-wise, Dee was a classic example of a “Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.” If threatened or provoked she could be mean, vicious and hateful. She could lay waste to the world’s strongest man if she felt that he threatened to harm those that she loved; she was very caring and protective. On the other side, one could not find a more gentle, generous and loving human being on Earth.
She loved children and especially babies; babies both human and animal. She very often kept dogs and cats as pets and loved them all dearly.
In early 2005, poor Dee was diagnosed with an illness known as “vascular dementia,” a neurological disorder in the broad spectrum of Alzheimer’s Disease. Specifically called, “fronto-temporal dementia" (FTD). With partially blocked arteries, oxygen-rich blood failed to reach certain parts of her brain and she subsequently began to lose many of her cognitive skills. Losing her short-term memory at first, followed soon thereafter by a loss of reasoning ability, speech and finally both major and minor motor skills (standing, walking, holding things); an inability to perform the tasks of daily living without assistance. Jay attempted to care for her in the home for a time but eventually it became obvious that more skilled and professional assistance was required.
On Thanksgiving afternoon, 2008, Dee was admitted to the hospital emergency room with a diagnosis of “failure to thrive.”
Thus began her fairly short but comfortable existence in a Long-Term Skilled Nursing Facility. Here the staff very soon grew to know her and love her. As with most Alzheimer’s victims she continued to have “good” days and some “not so good” days. On Friday April 3rd she was “up and about” sitting upright in a rolling chair while Jay and one of her sons pushed her gently up and down the hallway of the Home. She was smiling, happy and seemed eager to see all that there was to see outside of her room. A true wonder to behold as, up until a week or so before that, she had not left her bed for more than three months.
Four brief days later she was administered auxiliary oxygen, had not eaten nor taken fluids for several days and in the late morning of Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 she very peacefully, painlessly and quietly, simply slipped away.
She leaves survivors, on this earthly plane; two older brothers, her beloved spouse Jay, five loving children; three adorable grand-children; and an infant great-grandson.
So it was, that the Good Lord looked down upon my darling Dee and said,
“Come, take My Hand and go with Me dear child, your time is finished here.”
May her beautiful Soul and Spirit forever Rest in Peace
in the Personal Heaven that she envisioned.
"Hic est fini." - Jay
"Hic est fini." - Jay
______________________________________________________________
.
Edit - 05-04-09 -
- To whom I owe a great deal of gratitude -
- To whom I owe a great deal of gratitude -
.
Our HMO Health Plan people…
http://www.seniordimensions.com/
http://www.seniordimensions.com/
.
For resources in services for the elderly…
http://aging.state.nv.us/
.
http://aging.state.nv.us/
.
The Alzheimer’s Association for respite care advice…
http://www.alz.org/index.asp
http://www.alz.org/index.asp
.
The Nathan Adelson Hospice for grief counseling and added care…
http://www.nah.org/
http://www.nah.org/
.
You and I, the Taxpayers and the U.S. Govt. Medicaid program…
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp
.
Other sites of welcome advice and online companionship…
Other sites of welcome advice and online companionship…
.
And all the wonderful folks I met and shared “war stories” with at…
http://www.alzinfo.org/alztalk/home.php
http://www.alzinfo.org/alztalk/home.php
.
Everything you ever wanted to know about Caregiving…
http://www.caregiver.com/
http://www.caregiver.com/
.
The Local Fire Department and the private EMTs, the Hospital,
the Medical Transport guys and anyone I overlooked who helped along the way...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My nightmares are over -
I feel somewhat of an urgency to bring this “Memoir” to a close. I’m sensing a bit of apathy creeping into my world view. It may be a sign of things to come or, more likely, just a resignation to accept things the way they are. I seem to feel a need to shift my attention elsewhere. This and the fact that it’s becoming more and more difficult for me to re-visit and to re-live, so to speak, these experiences.
By the way, the recurring nightmares that I had been having, which I mentioned at the beginning of this, seem to have stopped. I find it so fascinating how the human brain/mind/ spirit act in such mysterious and wonderful ways.
Some have suggested that I publish these writings in a “hard-copy” format. Perhaps I will…we shall see. At any rate, thank you again for taking the time to peruse my ramblings. I do hope that you were able to take something of value away. Please feel free to contact me if you wish. My E-mail address is posted here in my profile.
No comments:
Post a Comment