by
Julie Western-Zuge
Dear Dad...

How can I tell you now,
Just how much you've always meant,
Just how proud I've always been

How can I tell you now,
That you have always been my hero,
Everything I want to be

Here you are, this shell of the father I once knew,
Whose face is more dear to me each passing day
Even in your pain making me proud, still

Your sense of humor endears you to all around;
I see the women who can now barely function,
The smiles that light their faces when you stop to kid with them.

What a man you are,
Still the greatest man I've ever known,
Still my biggest hero

Here you are, a victim of life's most hideous disease,
Yet you go on making others feel special,
Making a difference in so many lives

Dear Dad, can I ever be so great as you?
Can I ever let you know how much you mean?
You are one of God's most precious angels

And I thank Him for each day
He allows us to go on having time together,
As this cruel disease slowly steals you from me.

I've never been good at poetry so I "borrowed" one.

My dad is 57 years old and is the advanced stages of AD - I've always been "daddy's little girl" and I struggle with it everyday. It's been 3 years since he's been diagnosed and 4 months since he's been in a nursing home. This is my first time at this site, but figured maybe communicating with others going through this will help me in any way.....

Beautiful poem, borrowed or not.

I am my daddy's little girl, too and can fully relate to what you are going through.

Thank you for sharing this beautiful perspective.
Pier

The poem beautifully captures what alot of us feel. My father is 65. He was diagnosed about 5 1/2 years ago. He can no longer wash himself, dress himself, nor go to the bathroom. Its a horrible disease that changes everyone involved. We are keeping him at home, hopefully until the end. I help my mom care for him. Sometimes when they have a rage or just a bad day its hard to remember our loved one is in there. Sometimes my dad will have a really bad day and I feel like I lost my dad along time ago. he will curse at me and try to hit me and then like a flip of a switch, he'll be giving me a kiss and telling me he loves me and i'll see my dad like he was before. Everyone of us that come to this site are special people. This is the hardest disease to deal with and it can be stressful, depressing, happy, rewarding and everything in between. And we do it everyday in some shape or form all in the name of LOVE. God bless each and everyone of us.

quote:

Originally posted by ~S~:
by
Julie Western-Zuge
Dear Dad...

How can I tell you now,
Just how much you've always meant,
Just how proud I've always been

How can I tell you now,
That you have always been my hero,
Everything I want to be

Here you are, this shell of the father I once knew,
Whose face is more dear to me each passing day
Even in your pain making me proud, still

Your sense of humor endears you to all around;
I see the women who can now barely function,
The smiles that light their faces when you stop to kid with them.

What a man you are,
Still the greatest man I've ever known,
Still my biggest hero

Here you are, a victim of life's most hideous disease,
Yet you go on making others feel special,
Making a difference in so many lives

Dear Dad, can I ever be so great as you?
Can I ever let you know how much you mean?
You are one of God's most precious angels

And I thank Him for each day
He allows us to go on having time together,
As this cruel disease slowly steals you from me.

I've never been good at poetry so I "borrowed" one.

My dad is 57 years old and is the advanced stages of AD - I've always been "daddy's little girl" and I struggle with it everyday. It's been 3 years since he's been diagnosed and 4 months since he's been in a nursing home. This is my first time at this site, but figured maybe communicating with others going through this will help me in any way.....

You are searching deep inside yourself for the right words. Your own words. And you will find them. I think the key word is love. You love. And that really says it all. --Jim

thanks, I am Daddys little girl. My Dad just pasted on Oct 7,2007 It is not an easy disease to witness. Good luck and thanks

Thank you for sharing the poem ~S~. I will never be as great as my Dad, but he guides me every day.

I am my Dad-Dear's little girl. This is my first Christmas without him. Joanne B, I am grateful for your post. My dear Dad passed on September 17. We are not alone. I am thinking of you.

Kathleen

I was also daddy's girl my dad passed away Jan 27, 2007. I miss him so much.

My dad died Dec'07 and I found some poems that I hope you like:
GOD SAW YOU... (unknown)
God saw you getting tired,
When a cure was not be
So He wrapped his arms around you
and whispered "Come to me"
You did not deserve what you went through,
So He gave you rest
God's garden must be beautiful
He only takes the best
And when I saw you sleeping
So peaceful and free from pain
I could not wish you back
To suffer that again.

A LETTER TO HEAVEN (by J.Harris)

Darkness has come, I'm alone in the night hiding my feelings out of everyone's sight.

Despair fills my soul which as a fact is quite strange cause inside feels empty...

When you left I felt good like you wanted me to. I looke deep inside and there I found you.

It felt like you were here living in me. Giving me strenght to life life and just be.

I felt honored and proud that you were my dad. That I was there your last days all the time that you had.

Brave and determined to get through this with pride. To keep the promise that I made as you died.

Forgive me if I fall through I know there will be bad days cause I love you so much in so many ways.

I am so sad and confused like a lost little girl. I fell like an oyster without its precious pearl.

Cause that's what you were. All shinny and bright, who brightened each day and chased wasy night.

I'll never forget and I'll always miss you. But we'll meet again. This just has to be true.

With a love as strong as we had, Not even death can keep us apart. Where are you?

*****BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!

Julie,

OMG - your poem brought a tear to my eye. How loving.
I think I'm daddy's girl too - I'm the only one so I kinda have to be huh?
Seriously, I am adopted and was only 5 weeks old - so they ARE my parents.....no birth this or adoptive that....simply put, they are mom and dad.
My mom (83) is the one with Altzheimers and dad (87) is her 24/7 caregiver. He has finally opened up to asking me for help now and then. I truely think prior to now - he felt his asking for help was a sign of his failure as a husband. I have - time and time - again tried to explain that that is not the case. He has gone above and beyond.
I printed out a copy of your poem and hope to keep it handy for that one day - where I will show it to him and maybe it will break the ice.
Don't get me wrong - he is extremely caring, loving and helpful to everyone - but he needs to know he needs to take care of himself and that I am available to help out.
Thank you
Kathy

Your poem was beautiful, so many of us feel all the same things. I am also Daddy's little girl. My dad died on Dec. 20th 2008. I miss him so much. My dad was a wonderful man. This disease is so cruel. The end was so hard for all of us. He died in a nursing home. We all knew the end was coming soon so we gathered in his room joined hands and we prayed the rosary. There were about twelve family members present. As soon as we were done with our prayers my dad closed his eyes and went to the lord. He died in peace. Little things during the day make me think of things my dad either did or said. I smile to myself. I am so blessed to have had him as my dad.I love you daddy.