Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and it’s National Alzheimer’s Month.
And here at Joni and Friends, we’re taking time to focus on the families of those who are affected by this aging disease. I'm thinking of Cynthia who served as an executive assistant for a number of years here at the ministry. Cynthia's heart for our work went way beyond the walls of the office; for her, disability ministry was a family affair. You see, she was heartbroken when her very active, loving but elderly mother, Theda, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Theda was always so bright, so on-the-go, but with this new diagnosis, her world began to shrivel. Leaving house keys in the refrigerator, credit cards in the microwave, boxes of cereal on the bathroom sink. It was clear Theda needed help, so Cynthia enrolled her mother in an adult day care Alzheimer’s program, but that only covered part of Theda’s day. There was about two hours or so there when Theda needed someone to supervise her. Well, “Joni and Friends” is a disability ministry organization, so it was no problem to change Cynthia's work schedule to accommodate her mom’s needs. It meant that every Thursday afternoon, the adult day care center would drop Theda off in her wheelchair at our office where she would sit by her daughter’s desk.
Often I would wheel by Cynthia’s alcove to greet her mother – it was kind of fun, because she never could remember me – she was always excited to meet me, a brand new person. I’d sit there and watch Theda shuffle through Cynthia’s work, organizing things into little piles, none of which matched or belonged. One day I was passing by and I happened to catch Theda reaching for a can of Cola on the desk, she examined it, and then Theda poured the Coke into her daughter’s handbag sitting open by her office chair. Bless her heart, Cynthia turned around, reached gently for the can, smiled and said, “Now, Mommy, that’s not what we do with our cans of soda.” Never had I witnessed a sweeter, more concerned response to what most people would say was a really, really irritating thing to do, but no frustration was even hinted of in Cynthia’s voice. Theda though, quickly digressed and it wasn’t much later that she went home to be with Jesus. But I to this day remember Cynthia’s extraordinary example.
It’s people like Cynthia and Theda that we honor on this National Alzheimer’s month and if you know a family affected by Alzheimer’s, I have a great resource I’d like to send you so you can give it to them. It’s a booklet written by Dr. Robertson McQuilkin and its called Living by Vows and it catalogs Dr. McQuilkin’s journey with his wife, Muriel, who suffered from Alzheimer’s. It is such a touching story of their relationship and some of the tough choices that he had to make—choices that really put his wedding vows to the test. Would Dr. McQuilkin treasure Muriel through sickness and health, even when the sickness turned his wife into an absolute stranger? Well, you can read all about it in this little booklet, Living by Vows, and you can get your copy today by visiting our radio page at joniandfriends.org. And while you’re there, take a look at our Cause4Life video promoting our 2014 internships at “Joni and Friends”. Finally, please be looking for ways you can support people like Cynthia who care for a parent affected with this disease – ‘cause it can be lonely, it can be a solitary journey alongside someone affected by Alzheimer’s, and I believe God would want to use your hands and your time to help, especially during this, National Alzheimer’s month.
© Joni and Friends, 2013
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376