However, this particular article (you can find it here) was unlike any other I've read. If you have time, I would highly recommend reading it. But here is a brief summary: David Hilfiker was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in September 2012. He keeps a blog of his experiences which he has titled, "Watching the Lights Go Out." Instead of being frightened or embarrassed by his recent diagnosis, he has an AWESOME attitude. To give you an idea of what I mean, read this excerpt from his blog:
"We tend to be scared of Alzheimer's or embarrassed by it. We see it as the end of life rather than a phase of life with all its attendant opportunities for growth, learning, and relationships. We see only the suffering and miss the joy. We experience only the disappearing cognitive abilities and ignore the beautiful things that can appear. This memoir, I hope, will not be a sugarcoating of these next years. I wish I did not have Alzheimer's and would sacrifice a lot to be rid of it. But that's not one of the possibilities. So I will welcome this period of my life. In fact and unbelievably, this has so far been one of the happiest periods in my life" (Hilfiker, 2013).Is that not the epitome of pure joy? I read his words and teared up. What an amazing outlook he has on life. And his writing is absolutely beautiful. His story reminds me of a client I once worked with who also had recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's (I've mentioned her in a previous post). The joy that she had was remarkable. She said to me, "Honey, I feel so blessed that I have Alzheimer's disease. I would not have met the wonderful people in my Alzheimer's support group if I didn't have it!" WHAT?? I certainly never expected to hear anyone say they felt blessed to have Alzheimer's disease. But this sweet lady truly was glad. Amazing.
I am certain David Hifiker's posts have already touched many lives. He has definitely touched mine in the few posts I've read. I hope that his story inspires you, too!
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." - James 1:2-3
