Alzheimer's: It's close to my heart

     Going from strong to frail is difficult to look at, seeing your family member laid off is another. This is a small story I decided to do about my grandfather and mother August of this year.
     My grandfather Francis Drake, 86, has be diagnosed with Alzheimer's, since in January 2007. My mother, Suzanne Walker, 50, was layed off in February and now spends most of her time taking care of him.
     I remember two things about my granfather that have always made me laugh. In his youth he wanted to be a photographer, but since he couldn't spell "photography" when he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, he could spell "engineer."  So, "engineer" is what he became. The other is that he always lied about his age, always.
     As for my mother, she's always had a loving heart. Now we could all say that about our mothers, but if you met her you would understand. But her loving nature these days have become something deeper.
     These days she's an "informal caregiver."
     A position 19 million other Americans can proclaim as they care for a parent or grandparent 75 or older, she's now a part of something I've only read about.

Visiting once or twice a week, she comes as much as she can between going back to college and taking care of her mother, my grandmother. 

Bringing her Yorkshire terrier around the facility, he even falls asleep with my grandfather during visits.

Making sure he's comfortable, she does what she can with little help, except from the nursing home that is now his home.