Vanessa

Forget Me Not Flowers for Grandpa Lyle

My grandpa or “Grandpa Lyle,” as I liked to call him, was my best friend and confidant. I spent endless hours with him watching Inspector Clouseau movies and eating puffy cheezies. He was the kind of man who was always helping others. His quick-witted comments and jokes always kept me laughing.

My family and I started to worry about him when he would forget where he was going on his walks, and then get defensive about his forgetfulness. Eventually, after a long-awaited diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, we knew the safest place for him was long-term care, where he wouldn’t get lost or be alone.

My mom and I would visit my grandpa often. It was difficult watching the disease progress, especially on the days when he seemed to forget who I was. I felt helpless and wish I had known about the services the Alzheimer Society provides for families. It was a tough and challenging time in my life and the support would have made a big difference in how I handled things.

My grandpa passed away in 2015 after living with Alzheimer`s disease for seven years. It shattered my world and I still miss him to this day.

Planning my upcoming wedding has been one of the hardest things I`ve had to do, I always imagined him being there. I’m planning to carry a bouquet including forget me not flowers in his honour. This way, he’ll be there with me in spirit as I walk down the aisle.