Family and Sickness

Copyright: aadcphotography2010

Sickness is a state where the physical and emotional side of you being a human being is affected. Even when a family member of ours got stricken with illness we are greatly affected by it. 

Sickness can mean a lot of things, medical assessment and analysis can be down just to come up with a medical diagnosis. From there a physician or a medical personnel can decide on what drugs to give to alleviate symptoms and help the patient go on with his or her everyday routine.

I am inspired to write something about this mother and son journey in battling the disease called Dementia, Molly and Joey Daley!

For months now since I first saw them on one of my feeds on Facebook, I started to follow them, their video blogs on YouTube and every update Joey posted on the group Facebook page mother and son's journey with dementia.

As a daughter, a mom and a medical practitioner the videos that Joey posted drew me closer to what the family's undergoing. 

Molly Daley recent photo from the group page, posted by Joey Daley.

Somehow, the traits that Joey is being shown and possesses as what the viewers see it especially on my perception is somehow the same traits of what a Filipino family will do and can do to assist a family member in need of care and love. I am lucky that I was able to experience time with my grandparents from both sides of my family. My grandmother whom I called Nanay imparted so much to me that until now I am living up to those words she uttered. There was a time that she was debilitated with sickness. Until that sickness scummed her. She lived a pretty interesting life around her big family. 

Raised in a tradition and being accustomed to helping your elders in the family to cope up life in late-stage can be a typical scenario here in the Philippines. Filipino families live in an extended family household is one way to show assistance and help to our elders. In some family, set-up elders are being situated in a care-facility which Molly is in currently. With the assistance and supervision of medical and care staff, she is being taken cared off. From food, medicine and other help assistance the facility can provide. Joey and his sister take turns in visiting their Mom and making sure that they spend more time with her like everything is normal. Molly loves Wendy's frosty and that would be their last stop on the day after Joey's visit and been shown in the vlogs. Joey exemplifies the kind of a typical Filipino, who never neglects the existence of his Mom, Molly.

The latest episode broke my heart along with Joey especially with Molly who got frustrated because she gets tired of not knowing what to say although she wanted to say something. That is how her kind of dementia is debilitating her. Lewy Body disease can make you go back from current time and age to the time you were an infant. Unfortunately, Lewy body Disease is progressive, affecting mainly the thinking, memory, and movement. The disease gets worse over time and no cure. 

One of my favorite photo of me and my kids, taken years ago.

photo copyright: aadcphotography

During this time, family members play the strongest role. Support and understanding are the care of everyday life when sickness strikes. We need to be strong and never let our fears sets in. Fear will eat us up and we cannot move a step when we fear. Surpass sickness with a strong faith and love from your family. 

I can call myself lucky that my folks are still around to witness their grandchildren grow and become an individual in their own ways, making them proud! When the time comes sickness will be the reason for them to battle, we know that we have our family with us to come together. Always keep the faith strong. 

I hope your family too!