I know I've mentioned before that my dad is struggling with a brain disorder. He's been diagnosed with Lewy-Body dementia, which the same affliction that led Robin Williams to make his final choices... characterized by increasing confusion, hallucinations, and paranoia. It's pretty grim, and things have gotten worse over the past month or so. It's gotten to the point that he doesn't recognize my sister, in spite of the fact that she has visited him almost every day this summer. He's now living full-time in an assisted living facility.
But after a week and a half of him not knowing my sister, he had a moment of clarity the other day, looking up suddenly and greeting her. They talked for a few minutes, and she mentioned that my brother would be visiting the next day. My dad thought about this for a minute, then said "Do you think I could have a grilled hamburger?"
Of course the next day my sister delivered the black OTG that my dad gave her as a wedding present, and they had a great meal. We'd like to think that that familiar kettle shape and charcoal smell was therapeutic for him, and when I'm visiting later this week we're planning to roll out the grill again. I'm praying that sometime this week he'll recognize me for a minute, and feel the love from his granddaughters.
In the earlier phase of his illness when we used to talk on the phone, he would struggle to carry on a conversation but would always click into a good chat about our Webers and what was cooking. And now, I'm hoping that the iconic silhouette will bring him some moment of clarity and maybe a brief connection with me. It's a gift he gave me, and I'm so grateful that I can give it back.
Topic: Send up a prayer for a true Weber die-hard. (Read 5020 times)