It’s been a few weeks since Larry King’s special on Alzheimer’s and I say kudos’ Larry! I DVR’d it and watched it until the phone rang, but having it saved I knew I could go back to it at anytime.
At first I wasn’t sure if I could get through the entire program because I felt the tears welling up. This was the case with Maria Shriver’s “The Alzheimer’s Project.” I was all set to watch every bit of her special on HBO and found myself so emotionally broken after some segments I had to turn away. As much as I wanted to support her, I had to think of my well-being. Alzheimer’s zaps so much from you, I had to save myself any way I could. I know at some point I will be ale to get back to seeing it fully. Whenever HBO re-airs it, I do try to watch some part I hadn’t seen before until it all becomes too much.
But I did make it through the Larry King special. I wanted to hear the stories I hadn’t before. I knew of Terrell’s journey, Maria Shriver’s and some of Ron Reagan Jr’s, but not Leeza Gibbons, Laura Bush or Seth Rogan. No matter your color, religion, background, age, Alzheimer’s comes and rips aways. It rips your heart, your spirit, your joy and while so many of us suffer in silence, I’m thankful these celebs and notables have helped put a face not just to the illness but to caregivers.
With our loved ones it’s said to be the long goodbye, Maria Shriver gave us a new lingo calling it the “new hello.”
Click here for clips from Larry King’s Special.
CONFESSIONS OF A MASTER CAREGIVER 