Stop in for a cup of coffee

My father went down hard with Alzheimer’s/dementia 6 years ago, but we still care for him and he still finds things in life to enjoy...even if he barely understands them. He is 82 now and we don’t find caring for him to be a burden. It is a cherished responsibility for a man who gave us life.

It was hard to watch him decline at first...but after awhile, you realize that it is just a part of the cycle of life and caring for him now is as much my responsibility as his caring for me as a child was.

My wife’s mother lost her father to suicide when he made the choice to end it rather than be a “burden”. But he was totally wrong. The burden of dealing with him checking out early was far harder on his children than the years of caring for their mother in her final years ever was.

My brother Mark, Hung himself in public at age 48.. As much as I tried to help him , over the years, he always went his own way. He loved life so much, that he partied EVERY day. Never married, never had a super meaningful job, bounced around. Did 1 1/2 yrs in the Army before they kicked him. I tried to tell my mom to let me handle his inheritance, but she would not listen. He got a 6 figure inheritance on Feb 5th 2006, He went through all that money, quickly..He hung himself on March 28, 2006. R.I.P. Mark