Unforgettable

My name is Eric Vanderbelt today is April 2 2018, I am sixty-seven years old and I have Alzheimer's. My wife’s name is Margret, and I have three children Stacey, Rachel, and Todd. Stacey and Todd live in Kentucky, but Rachel lives in Ohio about 30 minutes from me. All three of my children are married Todd and his wife Sandra are expecting their first child, and me and Margrets third grandchild in July, they say it’s a girl, but you know it's gonna be a boy. The doctors said that writing down memories to read later sometimes helped Alzheimer's patients keep their memories for longer. I keep the journal to satisfy them and my family. They all worry for me I can see it in their eyes, the pity and the sadness. When I forgot where I placed my keys Margret nearly broke down in tears. It took nearly an hour to convince her that it wasn’t some bad sign or omen, sometimes people just misplaced their keys. It's growing so frustrating to have everyone constantly look at you like you might keel over any moment. The kids used to look at me like a hero now they treat me like a porcelain doll. No one understands, not the children, not Margret, or even the doctors. They might say I have Alzheimer's but I am not going to forget my family. I might have trouble remembering dates or times or even where I put my keys but I will not forget the family I have worked so hard to build.  

My name is Eric Vanderbelt today is July 29, 2018. I am sixty-seven years old, and I have Alzheimer's. Yesterday Todd and his wife brought home baby Erica Grace Vanderbelt. It was a girl, I was so certain it would be a boy, then again Margret reminded me how I thought Rachel was gonna be a boy for most of her pregnancy. Maybe I should leave the gender prediction to the doctors. Speaking of doctors at my most recent appointment they said my memory was better than anticipated. The look of pride on Margrets face was unmistakable. She told the doctor all about how she was constantly giving me memory quizzes. She even insists we watch jeopardy every night. Each time I get a question right she smiles like the sun. Onetime I set the DVR up to play a rerun and got every question right for 10 full minutes before she realized what I had done. For those ten minutes she was the happiest woman on earth I swear. I know Shes worried that Ill forget everything. That one day Ill wake up and not know who she is, but I could never forget her. Margret is the love of my life and always will be. I said till death do us part and I meant it.  

My name is Eric Vanderbelt today is November 16, 2018. I turned sixty-eight today and I have Alzheimer's. My boy brought his lovely daughter over for a visit today. Shes only a few months old but she is getting big already. Her laughter is so wonderful, just like her grandmother's. I just know Shes going to be so smart when she grows up. It’s a strange feeling when your kids go off and have kids, it feels like just yesterday I was chasing my little boy around the yard while Margret braided the girl's hair. The doctors say my Alzheimer's is progressing, but I think they simply don't know what they are talking about. They take every little mistake I make and blow it out of proportion. Last week I missed a turn on the way home from the store so it took an extra few minutes to get home and now the doctors are trying to get Margret to take my car keys away. As though I cant get to the store and back when Iv made the trip probably 10,000 times in the last 30 years. Not to mention the look on Margrets face when they suggested it made my heart break into a million pieces. After all this time of giving her hope and telling her how well I was doing to turn around and make it seem like iv got one foot in the grave well it was just stupid.  

My name is Eric Vanderbelt today is March 7, 2019. I am sixty-eight and I have Alzheimer's. My daughter came to visit today the one from out of state. She brought her husband and children. It was so fun to get to see them. They all grow up so fast I swear it was just a few months ago that I was holding their little girl in my arms. I remember how she laughed, and it was just like her grandmother's laugh. All cute and bubbly. The first time I heard that laugh was a warm spring day on the front lawn of Baylor university. From that moment on I was hooked, like a melody that you can't get out of your head that laughter repeated in my brain for weeks. Margret does not laugh as much anymore. She says its not my fault, but she says its with tears in her eyes. 

My name is Eric Vanderbelt, today is September 2019, I have Alzheimer's. Margrets says the doctors think I'm getting better. She is lying. I'm beginning to feel it, the weight of losing everything bit by bit, the feeling of a sweater unraveling. This morning a lovely woman came to visit. I didn’t know her, Marget told me she was my daughter, Stephany I think was her name. The poor thing looked so sad I think Margret wanted me to make her feel safe. So, I played along and pretended to be her father. This seemed to make both of them happy. At one point I even got Margret to laugh again, like before. Oh, how I love to hear her laughter. 

My name is Eric, I have Alzheimer's, at least that what the nurse lady keeps telling me. I assume Shes the nurse. She keeps bringing me medicine and food. She’s such a nice nurse, and beautiful too. Why I think I might have a crush on her. I don’t remember why I need a nurse or why they do not want me to leave my house, but I suppose if she’s here I don't mind. Sometimes I forget where I am but she always reminds me. She is just so sweet. I think tomorrow I may ask her on a date, I hope she's not married. I'll take her to the drive in and we can split a popcorn, I hope it’s a comedy because she has the most beautiful laugh I've ever heard.