Commemorate: "call to remembrance; keep alive the memory of someone or something, as in a ceremony".
Well I'm writing today NOT because my grandfather is deceased... but because he is suffering from a horrible desease called Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.
It's unbelievable seeing him in front of my eyes, remembering all the Christmas get togethers we used to share, all the Birthdays that became a tradition to share at grandma and grandpa's house, remembering when there were 4 or 5 candles on my birthday cake and growing older to eventually blowing out a forrest fire with more candles then there were cake.
I looked into my grandfathers eyes on my last visit and it kills me to think he doesn't have any idea of who I am. I would even sing songs he would compose specially for me and got no response. His body is living but with no recolection of his past.
I'm gonna remember him for who he was and to me he was a living legend. Not only am I here because of him but he did a hell of a job raising all of his children. He was a Landscaper who loved watching episodes of "I Love Lucy" after a long day of work. Loved sitting on his Lazy Boy Rocking Chair in front of his Radio (That I picked out for him at "La Curacao") listening to his oldies and never skipped a moment in which he could school me on what he was doing back in his younger days when the song he was listening to came out.
Here is my Grandfather with some memory of me and of course acting silly as he always tended to make everyone smile.
Here's my Grandfather in the current state in which he is in. Glad I could still make him crack a smile here and there yet very painful to watch him ask for his wife while she's standing next to him.
4 Generations in the flesh!
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