As World Alzheimer’s Day is observed today, on 21 September 2021, I recollect my moments with my late grandmother who passed away at the age of 88 when I was in my late 20s. I hardly remember my childhood memories with my grandma, my mom’s mother, because she was quite shy by nature and didn’t mingle with her grandchildren like other grandparents. She liked to sit at one place and meet us only during festivals so that she can bless us with happiness and well-being.
Australian researchers identify likely cause of Alzheimer’s disease
It was in her last years that she showed symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and had forgotten about herself, her children, and everyone around her. She was bedridden and had a maid to look after her. My mom used to visit her regularly but I didn’t have the guts to see her in that health condition and thus, I visited her only once in a while after she forgot everything.
Covid-19 may likely become childhood disease: Study
In my interaction with her, every time I visited, I first introduced myself to her by sharing my name, who I am, what I did in my studies, what I am doing currently in my job, and what are my future plans. She would listen to everything and ask me how am I related to her and I would tell her that she is my grandmother. Tears would fill up in my eyes and my voice would become heavy as I had to really explain about my relation to her but then I would convince myself thinking that is God’s wish and at least I am getting an opportunity to speak to her.
My mother used to tell me how my grandma would start singing devotional songs and tell some untold stories about her childhood or about some people in her life during her last years, which she never got to know all these years. I would research on the internet about Alzheimer’s disease and would help mom come to terms with the reality of how memory loss and confusion are the main symptoms of the disease.
It was the festival of Vaikuntha Ekadashi in January 2017 when my grandma breathed her last in her memory loss stage and all her children and grandchildren were beside her including me. Her words would always ring in my head, wherein she used to say that an end of a journey is the beginning of a new one. I salute my grandma and all my grandparents who lived and sailed the 20th century by living up to the ideals of the 19th century and gave us good values to see the upcoming generations rise.
