Even if it hurts a little bit.

I like it when I see an Alzheimer care-giver staying upbeat and optimistic. I think it has a lot to do with acceptance. One can control the actual situation with the patient only to a certain extent. What will happen, will happen. But how one deals with what happens -- well, that's where one has an immense amount of control. Seems to me that the good care-givers work themselves into positive grooves. Then they must try to stay in it for the rest of the journey. I have more faith and confidence in one particular care-giver I know than I had in her a year or two ago. Yes, she's toughened up. And held up better than I thought she would. Oh, she may still stumble along the way. But if she does, I want her to just pick herself up again. And get on with dealing with her life. Sure beats giving up. And hey, she knows I'm gonna tell it to her the way I see it. I'm not always gonna tell her what she wants to hear. I'm gonna give her my version of the truth. Even if it hurts a little bit. --Jim Broede