Re: Happy New Year?

[Guest guest]

Very nice Elaine!

It is a bittersweet time for a lot of us, I'm very sure. Comparing my Dad today

to a year ago brings tears to my eyes...many of sadness, and some of gratitude

that he has actually only spiraled downwards to the degree that he has.

Lori

Happy New Year?

While I'm generally a " glass half full " person and I try to be true to my

blood group - that is, B Positive! - I must admit to being somewhat

tentative about what the New Year brings as I compare how Jim was at the

beginning of last year with how he is today.

While trying to find something to send to a friend whose husband died on

Christmas Day, the words of a poem came to me, which my grandmother used to

quote every New Year's Day. I realised the words were equally applicable to

my friend as they were to me, and possibly to many of you in this group:

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

" Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. "

And he replied:

" Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way. "

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

(from 'God Knows' by Minnie Louise Haskins)

Elaine (61) from Sydney Australia

Caring for husband Jim (82) who was offically diagnosed LBD Oct 2009, but

symptoms began at least 5 years before.

[Guest guest]

I know it is hard to think of a Happy new year when your LOs are battling LBD.

So the one thing that can make it happy is to really truly focus on the good

times...maybe even write down the things that made you smile every day. The

little hints of 'YOUR loved ones' and not so much things that happen with your

LEWY loved ones. I think that I have heard many on this group, while amidst

some pretty heavy days, write about something that just made them smile extra

big, or even let out a laugh. Give extra hugs and kisses every day...don't

forget to tell your LOs how much you really care about them and thank them for

the little things that they did over the years.

This is my third New Year without my Mom. I still remember here so many days

and so many ways. Sometimes I have to smile when I think of those, and then

sometimes (especially around the holidays) cry because she was such an integral

part of the holidays and I wish so much that she could still be here with me.

>

> While I'm generally a " glass half full " person and I try to be true to my

> blood group - that is, B Positive! - I must admit to being somewhat

> tentative about what the New Year brings as I compare how Jim was at the

> beginning of last year with how he is today.

>

>

>

> While trying to find something to send to a friend whose husband died on

> Christmas Day, the words of a poem came to me, which my grandmother used to

> quote every New Year's Day. I realised the words were equally applicable to

> my friend as they were to me, and possibly to many of you in this group:

>

>

>

> And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

>

> " Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown. "

> And he replied:

> " Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

>

> That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way. "

> So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.

>

> And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

>

>

>

> (from 'God Knows' by Minnie Louise Haskins)

>

>

>

>

>

> Elaine (61) from Sydney Australia

>

> Caring for husband Jim (82) who was offically diagnosed LBD Oct 2009, but

> symptoms began at least 5 years before.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>