Hi, I’m a 16 year old girl and I have anxiety, depression and stomach issues. My stomach issues cause me to be sick just about every day. People used to tell me that it wasn’t real, that I was faking it or it was all in my head. With no doctor being able to give me an answer for four years I started to believe it was all in my head. Until the day they told me that the test results they got back were the most positive that they ever seen. This day was the day I was informed that I needed surgery. A couple of days later I went into surgery to get my gallbladder removed. The surgery went well and now I’m just left with scars and stomach pains. The surgery didn’t fully work. I still get sick all the time and people still tell me I’m faking it.
But that’s not why I’m here today sharing my story. I’m here today to share a different story. Three years ago I lost my great grandma to Alzheimer’s. Yes, she might have been my great grandma, but we were closer than people thought. I can honesty say that watching her slowly die killed me inside. She would forget where she was, who I was, or even who she was. I would go keep her company every chance I got. I was also the last person to see her responsive. This past year I lost my great aunt to Alzheimer’s as well. She had the disease before I got to know her to well, but she was still my family my worry. This year my great grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I go visit him every chance I get. Some days he knows me and the next he doesn’t. He picks fights with nurses, thinks he is in a town 300 miles away, and is just so confused. I’m very close to him. We joke and play games. When I go visit him he plays the harmonica and I will sing. Also, in the past year another great aunt on the other side of the family was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. At this point I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to handle this anymore. They say that Alzheimer’s is the hardest disease to watch a loved one go through and I would agree with this statement. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stand. There this is a lot of weight on my shoulders. Comment if you have any advice for me please. I don’t know what to do.
CONSIDER THIS
- Alzheimer’s is a very difficult thing to go through as you watch your family members suffer through this. However, you are doing the best possible thing by spending time with them and sharing your love for them if they remember you or not this is a great thing to do.
- Maybe you can spend some time taking care of yourself like doing something you really enjoy doing like riding a bike, enjoying the outdoors, watching your favorite movie with friends, making your favorite food, etc. Though you are being so kind to your family members who are suffering it is very important to take time for yourself.
- Maybe you can find a group therapy where other people are going through the same loss or heartache of the disease of Alzheimer’s disease in your town or online or on Teencentral.com
- Maybe you can find some way to remember the family members as they were through memorabilia like making a photo book or a video of how they were before the disease. It can help in remembering the better times before they got sick and help you remember how they were instead of how they are now.
HELP YOURSELF
- What are some things that you can do to take care of yourself to help you regenerate like riding a bike, enjoying the outdoors, watching your favorite movie with friends, making your favorite food, etc?
- What would happen if you found a support group to help you process through a family member going through this disease? Where can you search for this group?
- What are some possible ways that you can do to help you remember the happy times with your family members?
