Today we have been married 53 years. We fell in love when I was 16 and my DH was 19. He has been my friend , companion, lover, he has been everything to me all my adult life. It truly was one of those "love at first sight" romances that you read about , we just knew immediately. We have 3 children and 3 grandchildren. I'm so thankful for all the good years because now he is slowly fading and changing before my eyes. When I look at him I still see the vital, outgoing, athletic young man I fell in love with so long ago. What a horrible disease this is, to see your DH change before your eyes and become someone else, someone you really don't know. So, today we will celebrate in our own way, not going anywhere, no fancy dinner, but we are still together after all these years and only in the moderate stage, so that is something to celebrate. As I read the posts I admire all of you and your ability to deal with this awful disease, and Joan you do deserve a medal your website is my only source of support I could not relate to the Alzheimer's association website.
Texannie, sending much deserved congratulations on that 53rd anniversary! wow, you know thats a lifetime. my parents celebrated their 61st the yr my dad passed in 2006. i am on my 3rd marriage and the black sheep with hardly no divorce on any of the family sides:) I hope you can find some comfort today in company of your DH and do some small things together to remind you of the love you share. we celebrated in march our 15th and I also remember that day to be nostalgic and saddened from the loniness of celebrating alone. my best to you and wishing you lots of fond memories today, divvi
Texannie, congratulations on your anniversary! You are fortunate that your DH is still able to celebrate with you. Enjoy each and every moment! Even when they lose their memories, we still have ours - of the person we fell in love with, of the special moments of our lives together, and that is what helps us continue through this insidious disease that tears our lives apart. By the way, Joan WILL get a medal!
How wonderful to be married for a lifetime of 53 years!! You are fortunate that your DH can still understand the significance and celebrate the momentous occasion with you...
I have an amusing anecdote to share about my DH and my 50th wedding anniversary...I told my children I didn't want a huge 50th celebration as my husband no longer could comprehend the occasion so the dear ones had a dinner for the family in a nice restaurant with a huge cake etc. One of the waitresses asked my husband how long we had been married and he said very seriously, "50 thousand years." Come to think of it, perhaps he wasn't serious! lol
Yes Carewife,I am lucky that he still understands and can celebrate with me, and sometimes I actually forget what we are dealing with, and then out of the blue, something happens and I come back down to earth with a "thud." I know everyone on this site knows exactly what I'm talking about, that's why we are all here. Anyway I think later we'll have a glass of wine and toast to all those good years.
M and I will have been married 42 years this June 30th. It will be a day like any other since she doesn't understand anniversaries any more.
I like to ask her how long have we been married and she replies "I don't know" or "Thousands of years." I then tell her "42 years" and say that I can prove it because we have a 40 year old son and three grandchildren. She laughs and then forgets that also. For several years after our marriage in 1966, she would ask me "Do you feel married yet?"
Happy Anniversary. I hope you and your DH have a nice day. Your post brought tears to my eyes. I so enjoyed reading about you falling in love.
I can so relate to what you said about them changing into someone you don't know. You have inspired me to celebrate what we do stll have together while DH is in the moderate stage.
I am so glad I found this website too. I will be thinking of you today.
Happy Anniversary, Texannie! Will have a glass of wine tonight and toast your 53 years. I hope you get one of the moments with, or glimpses of, the man you married. All the best to you.
Dear Texannie: When we were 10, in grammar school, my 'husband' fell in love with me. It meant nothing to me, I'd rather climb trees. I didn't catch up until nearly 8 years later in high school when I fell in love with him. We passed by chance in the hall, stopped, and I knew instantly that I'd spend my life with him. Aren't we lucky to have had this happen? My thoughts are with you on this special day as you give him extra hugs and kisses. Sometimes, in spite of it all, we know that we have been blessed.
Texannie, Your story is so much like mine, We met in High school, married when I was 17 and my hubby barely 18, been Married 49 years this past May. He is now 8 years into this disease, diagnosed at age 60 and in Hospice for my Respite for 5 days, I took him yesterday, first time we have been apart in all those years except times I was hospitalized. I went this AM to check on him and even in stage 7 I believe with all my heart he knew me this morning, I sat down by him and hugged him and kissed him and he kissed me on the cheek. Don't tell me they are not here deep down inside.
Happy Anniversary to you Texannie and I hope you enjoy many more.
Thank you Jane,yes I believe they are still "in there." Every so often we get a glimpse, and what a wonderful sight that is! Our stories are much the same, we are just not as far along as you are, so I'm trying to be thankful for what we have.
My experience seems almost identical to Texannie. M and I had our first date Sophomore year in highschool when I was 14 and she was 15. We never dated anyone else seriously after that. 8 years later we got married, and next Thursday (June 26) we will be celebrating our 54th anniversary. 2 couples who have been friends of ours for over 30 years will be celebrating with us. We have 3 children, 2 grandchildren, and 2 stepgrandchildren. I'm not sure how much DW understands about the anniversary, but I know she will enjoy being with friends. The biggest change I have seen lately occured last week when our son came to visit. We had not seen him in almost one year. He and I are both sure she did not recognize him.
For details of our first date, etc., see the section "Our Readers Love Stories" on the left of the main page.
Your thoughts and comments have lifted my spirits all day.Thank you so much.May you all find some measure of peace no matter where you are in this frightful journey.