Our friend deserves to be honored for her time on this earth and her journey through dementia.
Our friend’s time on earth was a precious gift to many, including us. She was not just a loving wife and mom, but also a vibrant kindergarten teacher, a devoted sister and daughter, and a beloved friend. She brought a special brightness into her place in the world. She was loved well in life and through her journey by her husband, adult kids, family, and a wealth of friends.
Her journey through dementia was not easy. She spent a long time in the in-between place of living in this life and leaving this life, a place that appears to bring restlessness and unease for the person who has a limited ability to understand nor deal with their feelings of restlessness and unease.
This is one of the hard aspects of dementia: end-of-life in dementia is often quite different from end-of-life for those experiencing other life-ending diseases or conditions. Barbara Karnes wrote, “Dementia does not follow the rules.”
Our friend lived a long time in that difficult “in-between” place. We are happy for her that she is finally able to rest in peace.