By Vicki Scott
The Dadeville portion of Lake Martin was covered with boats this past holiday weekend while I was inside our lake house covered in red bug bites. The last time I remember this much itching was when I was a child playing in the woods and making huts out of sticks and pine straw. This time I was just sitting in a chair in the woods. It felt like I had the chicken pox, although I don’t remember chicken pox itching this much. Please keep me in your prayers. The intense itching is keeping me up at night, and I’ll need adequate sleep for the days ahead. Maybe soaking in Epsom salt will help.
In between the itching and scratching, I thought about the people on the lakefront enjoying the festivities, with families getting together to grill out and go swimming. The boats and wave runners are making major waves. I do hope they put on insect repellant.
Several members of our senior activity group told me about a lady in our community who had lost her husband earlier this year. She has a niece, a nephew, and a brother who do not live close by. The lady is blessed with friends who cared enough to ask me to reach out to her. I did not know what I had to offer her, but I wanted to do all I could.
One of our seniors brought her to our adult senior and junior/senior monthly luncheon, and I was able to introduce myself and get to know her. Upon finding out where the lady went to church, I reached out to her pastor to get his input of what I could add to their mission for her benefit. It broke my heart. He discussed all the things the lady has done and expressed everyone’s
frustration with her. The firmly said “no” when I asked if he thought she had dementia.
In every incident the pastor said she did, it gave me flashbacks of similar things my mother did while suffering from dementia. I realize that I’m not a doctor, but while taking classes the different kinds and levels dementia, I’ve worked with people who have suffered from this horrible disease. If I were a betting woman, I would bet there is a level of dementia in this precious lady.
My concerns are with people who are not familiar with the disease. I watched one video that had a doctor who had been practicing 40 years who said that he had never seen two cases alike. The human brain is complex, and any damage would have unpredictable results. When I realized my mother had dementia, I read and researched everything I could to find out ways to help her. I do wish pastors in churches and other leaders would do the same.
After my conversation with this lady’s pastor, all I could think was, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” It upset me so much that I talked to my own pastor. He was very familiar with dementia and understood my concern. I hope and pray I’m wrong but either way, we are going to do all we can to help this lady. My prayer is that this sweet lady gets covered up with love more than this lake is covered up in boats!
I praise God for my family, friends and church, as well as for these opportunities to serve Him. I praise God for you!
Vicki Scott may be contacted at lily200383@yahoo.com.