Twelve years ago my best college friend Rob Kern was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. I wrote this little poem at the time, expecting he wouldn't be with us much longer:
To a friend with Alzheimer's
Everything is falling
Off the edge of everything
I stand at attention and salute
As he spins into darkness
Everything now a filigree of gold
Lifted by a breeze
Fragile fragile fragile
He is humming
Ever singing
-- New York City, 5 May 2015
---------
Now his lovely daughter Rachel sends this update, part of her Alzheimer's Walk fundraiser in Rob's honor. What spirit and resilience my poet brother has, even as his memories fade...
"Another year has passed, and for the fifth time now, I am participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's in honor of my dad, Robert Kern. In re-reading my fundraising webpage from last year, I am pleased to report that not much has changed in terms of my dad's condition. He has picked up some new bizarre habits and quirks, and there are certainly subtle signs of decline, but for someone who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's nearly 12 years ago, my dad is still doing remarkably well. He can still do all his "activities of daily living" (dressing, grooming, eating, etc) and physically, he's in good shape for an 81-year old.
He is usually in good spirits and can often be found whistling a tune or drumming with his fingers on the table, sometimes doing both at the same time, forming his own one-man band. Though he used to be somewhat reserved, he has lost most of his inhibitions - he now enthusiastically greets anyone who crosses his path pushing a baby carriage, always stops to admire the baby, and asks (multiple times in a row) whether it is a girl or a boy. His favorite time of the day is definitely mealtime, and no matter what we put on his plate, he always eats with gusto and exclaims over and over again "Mmmm, this is so good! This is really very good!"
But he is also very easily confused, and doesn't know where he is, even when he is at home. Sometimes when we pull into the driveway, he'll say "Oh this is my parents' house! I used to live here a very long time ago." If we follow up by asking where he lives now, he just shakes his head and says he doesn't know.
It's too late for any treatment to help my dad, but I continue to do this walk, year after year, in the hopes that any money raised can help Alzheimer's researchers get closer to a real breakthrough (better than the recently FDA-approved treatments that come with highly risky side effects and questionable effectiveness). I hope you can join me, once again, in my fight to end Alzheimer's."
.......
He is humming
Ever singing
To a friend with Alzheimer's
Everything is falling
Off the edge of everything
I stand at attention and salute
As he spins into darkness
Everything now a filigree of gold
Lifted by a breeze
Fragile fragile fragile
He is humming
Ever singing
-- New York City, 5 May 2015
---------
Now his lovely daughter Rachel sends this update, part of her Alzheimer's Walk fundraiser in Rob's honor. What spirit and resilience my poet brother has, even as his memories fade...
"Another year has passed, and for the fifth time now, I am participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer's in honor of my dad, Robert Kern. In re-reading my fundraising webpage from last year, I am pleased to report that not much has changed in terms of my dad's condition. He has picked up some new bizarre habits and quirks, and there are certainly subtle signs of decline, but for someone who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's nearly 12 years ago, my dad is still doing remarkably well. He can still do all his "activities of daily living" (dressing, grooming, eating, etc) and physically, he's in good shape for an 81-year old.
He is usually in good spirits and can often be found whistling a tune or drumming with his fingers on the table, sometimes doing both at the same time, forming his own one-man band. Though he used to be somewhat reserved, he has lost most of his inhibitions - he now enthusiastically greets anyone who crosses his path pushing a baby carriage, always stops to admire the baby, and asks (multiple times in a row) whether it is a girl or a boy. His favorite time of the day is definitely mealtime, and no matter what we put on his plate, he always eats with gusto and exclaims over and over again "Mmmm, this is so good! This is really very good!"
But he is also very easily confused, and doesn't know where he is, even when he is at home. Sometimes when we pull into the driveway, he'll say "Oh this is my parents' house! I used to live here a very long time ago." If we follow up by asking where he lives now, he just shakes his head and says he doesn't know.
It's too late for any treatment to help my dad, but I continue to do this walk, year after year, in the hopes that any money raised can help Alzheimer's researchers get closer to a real breakthrough (better than the recently FDA-approved treatments that come with highly risky side effects and questionable effectiveness). I hope you can join me, once again, in my fight to end Alzheimer's."
.......
He is humming
Ever singing
Note: This article was first published on Facebook.
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