I was leaving Crossfit Breaking Boundaries when my Dad called. "Hey Spencer. I want to give you an update on Mom" my Dad said with a quake in his voice. "She had a stroke this weekend and is in a wheelchair. The doctors are going to continue monitoring her to see what damage has been done." For those of you who don't know, my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease 14 years ago. My Dad, owns and operates a memory care facility in Virginia, where my Mom lives. My Dad has been in the industry since 1970 so I'm no stranger to memory issues, senior living, aging and unfortunately, death.
This was the first time I heard my Dad's voice be shaken. My Dad just sat back and told me "Spencer. This is the beginning of the end." As we talked he told me that he has been looking over my Mom's funeral wishes in preparation. "Does reading that help you cope?" I asked. My Dad said that it does. I appreciate every single one of you. Alzheimer's is more than just forgetting a memory, it's the body forgetting how to be.
Photo: @SpencerGraves