Dementia and Alzheimer’s
There is dementia and Alzheimer’s on both sides of my family. This has been a scary disease increasing at an alarming rate so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is your story as well. Losing my memory—utterly and completely terrifies me. If it’s between dying at 60 with a healthy brain or dying at 70 or 75 with dementia I will happily take the former. Watching a loved one spend the last years of their life being ravaged by this is like watching their soul die, piece by piece, until it’s gone forever but their body lingers—just a shell—sometimes for much longer than you think you can bear.
Strange fact: I am from Las Cruces, NM with both paternal and maternal histories in rural places. Mike is from Philly and before being with me, he had absolutely no personal experience with loved ones and this disease. After doing some research I learned that this disease actually affects more people in rural areas than urban ones. They still have no idea why but there are many theories. It’s incredibly curious and fascinating to me.
Back text:
You are crystal and limestone
and saguaro and jelly filling and mud pies
McDonald’s original french fries
You are breaking open with sweetness
Feeling empty then completeness
You’re grit and fog dripping with moonlight
the memory of the blacklight,
the smell of cloves and weed
Being imprisoned and being freed
You are every memory I am scared to lose
The Anatomical Floral series is an elegant keepsake collection of cards with poetry conveying messages of love, gratitude, regret, and more with imagery created using centuries-old scientific anatomical, entomological, and botanical artwork.
