Page 32 - Who Are You-Reflections of a Dementia Survivor

The acknowledgement of friendship

Dementia is not a disease nor is it contagious, but so many people are
frightened away from their once healthy friends and acquaintances. Of
all the many drugs that are given for dementia, (all coming with side
effects, some not so severe and some extremely severe), no drug has
yet been developed to cure the loneliness of dementia sufferers.

Friendship is, however, a wondrous drug that comes only with the
joyous side effects of laughter, happiness, togetherness, hope and ten-
derness, understanding and encouragement. It is a drug that is free to
give and a drug that cannot be overdosed on and which is wonderfully
contagious.
My Susan was blessed to have a group of ladies that were to be that
drug to her. They were not lifelong friends, just colleagues she met
during her later life who became friends and who were close, but not
so close. Friends who were just there. Friends who gave Susan some
normality to a life becoming full of frustration and gave me such wel-

come relief as the dementia slowly progressed. Friends to the very end
and more.
To those sweet ladies, I thank you all.

In the years after the loss of my Sue, I have found a wonderful friend-
ship in the biker world, especially with a group of ‘Old Farts’ called
the Ulysses, a group of men and women, that don’t judge but instead
listen, support, encourage and laugh. I thank them for that friendship
and shared adventures and good times over the past years. I also thank
the friendship shown to Chloe and me by those fellow travellers as
our paths cross in this big, wonderful country.

There is one person, though, who has been that special friend to Su-
san and me for many years. A friend that we could support in her dark
period, yet, she was always there until the end for Susan and, is still
there for me today.

To my special friend, Tina, my love and my thanks.