A few days ago I watched that video above on TED. It leaves such a deep impression on me. First, because I conclude that Alanna Shaikh is a person that really cares about her father. She's taking a good care of her sick father. She has my respect for that. Second, it's about how she sees everything. She knows that she's prone to have dementia. But, instead of she's denying or preventing it, she's preparing for it. With a disease that runs in our family, do we have much left of choice?
If the monster wants you, the monster's gonna get you, says Shaikh.
Shaikh said no matter how hard we tried to prevent the disease, the research showed that there's nothing that would 100 percent protect you. If the monster wants you, the monster's gonna get you. So, from what she's learned after taking care of her father and researching about dementia, she's focusing on three things in her preparation. First, she's changing her hobbies. Second, she's working out to build her physical strength. And third, she's trying to become a better person. You can watch the video to see more details on the first two of her preparation because here I want to tell you that we're finally coming to her words which really touch me.
She said:
Finally, the third thing. I'm trying to become a better person. My dad was kind and loving before he had Alzheimer's, and he's kind and loving now. I've seen him lost his intellect, his sense of humor, his language skills, but also I've seen this: he loves me, he loves my son, he loves my brother and my mom and his caregivers. And that love makes us want to be around him, even now. Even when it's so hard. When you take away everything that he ever learned in this world, his naked heart still shines. I was as never kind as my dad and I was as never loving. And what I need now is to learn to be like that. I need a heart so pure that if it's stripped bare by dementia, it will survive.
Okay. I'm trying so hard right now not to shed a tear.
It's such an inspiring talk, isn't it? Considering what I'm going through right now, everything that she says is very reasonable. And if I'm allowed to add one more thing in my own preparation, it will be money. I need to prepare a lot of cash, just in case, you know, one day my own monster wants me (oh God, heaven forbids that!).
yes you right... duit memang pending nih buat pengobatan kalau sudan sakit,.. semoga tidal pernah menimpa kita ya... amin
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ReplyDeleteAmiiin... semoga kita selalu sehat ya. :)