Our Journey with Alzheimer’s –
Drip by Drip
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
The unhurried restrained drops
Emerging from a faucet –
Which seemingly never stops.
In a similar fashion
It’s with the speed of a snail
That these unwelcome changes
Yet develop without fail.
So, its little by little
This disease appears to be
Ever gradually stealing
Parts of her away from me.
The effect on someone’s brain
Stays basically out of sight
And that is why Alzheimer’s
Is called a thief in the night.
It’s every now and again
That it becomes clear to me
That she’s not quite the person
I recall she used to be.
I’m grateful this evolving
Still transpires rather slow.
If it came more rapidly
It’d be a much bigger blow.
Will we get to a point when
She remembers me no more?
That would be so heart-wrenching;
And would pain me to the core.
For now, we travel on
This journey come what may
And celebrate the treasure
Of each and every day.
Whatever our future holds
Of these things I am quite sure:
We’ll always have each other
And our strong love will endure.
I pray that it will remain
For some time to be the case
that this disease progresses
At just a mere glacial pace.
I shed a tear or two
On occasions when I face
The depth of my sadness
At the changes taking place.
Ambiguous grief is
The name therapists use
When you’re losing someone
While they’re still there with you.
Going forward I’m aware
That she’ll continue to slip
Ever more away from me.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
David McBride 2025
