Living with Dementia

Im a 16 year old girl and my great nanna has been suffering dementia since I was just a little baby, I believe I was 1. Tho I don’t remember her before she was sick I know she was a stong woman, she didn’t let it effect her until I was about 5. She was trying so hard to live a normal life, she tried because of her children, grandchildren and even her great grand children. She wanted so badly to see us grow up.

When I was 11, I moved up near her with my mum and siblings, I went to visit her on my birthday every year but it scared me to see her in there, through the years she has been getting dramatically worse, she is even at the stage where we are fearing death. Myself, my elder brother and my cousin went to visit her and my great grandad on Anzac day this year and it horrified me to see her so sick, she had a bad slip in her disease and she was coughing and couldn’t sit up. She refused her food and drink and wouldn’t open her eyes. But I just couldn’t bear to leave her. My brother and cousin kept their distance but I couldn’t let go of her hand.

The other day I was told she may not make it, I broke out into tears and thought about how much I love her, she is the strongest person I know, even tho I don’t remember her when she wasn’t like this, I know she is the greatest person alive, she is my role model and my hero, I love my nanna. And I will love her long after she passes on. I love you nanna