Celebrate the love of caregivers everywhere who are always near to help and comfort.
Back at school?
As I looked up from my dinner plate, I gazed through the window that looked onto the school fields and beyond.
I could see Bolton moors from the School dining room and on a clear day you could see for miles.
The noise in the Dining room was both loud, brash and yet Hypnotic in some strange way. The smell of Beef stew wasn’t that overpowering but the distinctive smell of Boiled/Mashed potatoes hung in the air and I hoped it was Jam roly pudding for my sweet. There were silver looking Jugs on the table, all battered and bumped which were full of water and ready to pour.
As I looked to my left, where my best friend always sat I became very confused, for there, sat next to me, talking yet no words coming out of her mouth, was my Angel Elaine!! What?? How?? WHY??
The scenes I had just witnessed started to drift away and slowly but surely I realised it was no longer 1972, but 2013, I was sat having my Sunday dinner right here right now in 2013. I glanced to my left just to make sure, and sure enough, there sat my Angel Elaine.
I could hear her talk now and she was asking me if I was ok as I had been away in my own world while the food in my mouth remained UN eaten and my eyes unblinking. I started to explain where I had been, or where I thought I had been and then it all became a little too much to bear, so I just sat quite, finished my food and just began to think what had just happened.
It was so real!! So very real to me, and the curse of Lewy Body`s sometimes means I can remember every little detail, sometimes not!! What happens when this occurs? Am I longing for my past? Do I subconsciously want my life back? Or are they just echo`s of the past that’s being relived in the tormented mind of someone who has this awful Disease of Dementia? Who knows? I suppose with my past it could have been a lot worse, believe me!!
Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Norman McNamara lives with Lewy body dementia. Diagnosed with dementia at age 50, he writes poignantly about what life is like from the other side. His dementia awareness programs have reached all over the UK including Prime Minister David Cameron, who McNamara has met with recently. His beloved Angel Elaine remains by his side.
Click to see an interview with Norm and Angel Elaine.
(Unedited TCV Ed.)
Dear Norman:
As I read this story, I am again teary eyes, because you comunicate so frankly that one can become involved in your train of though. Thank you for helping us become aware of this Lewy Body Dementia, much different than Mom’s alzheimer’s.
Thank you so very much my wonderful friends, will post tomorrow on my own pages, much love, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxxxxx