The Secret Friend

It began as a job, something we both needed. She has Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease and wants to be normal. I need an income after a devastating divorce. But, somewhere along the journey, while frolicking through fields, rummaging through open houses, breaking little rules, and building our own beautiful world full of dancing and laughter, it blossomed into a real friendship. Untangling the world of Early Onset Alzheimer's Disease may be an impossible task. Alzheimer's is a terrible disease, one that steals your memories and leaves only fogginess in their place. This story is about Abbey, who in the face of losing everything she held dear, from her belongings, to her husband, to her mind and personality, chose to sing proudly, dance wildly, and live out loud. This is a story about unthinkable dilemmas, the ethical gray zone, and the question of what makes us alive and human. Attempting to navigate the moral landmines of the Alzheimer's world, I was her ally, keeping her safe and making her laugh, always wearing my silly pink scrunchie. My job description was simply to take care of her, but together, we jumped down the rabbit hole and turned her crumbling world into Wonderland.