September 9, 2015: To honour Mom’s 80th birthday in 2008, we danced. Everywhere. All summer long.
Inspired by one of Matt Harding’s viral videos of dancing around the world, we created a similar video in our world. It was joyful. Something we could do together. At the time, Mom was two years into her diagnosis.
Today, seven years later on September 9, 2015, Mom and I walked twenty-five “baby steps” together. She held onto the fence with her right hand and I held her left hand in mine. It was joyful. Something we could do together.
September 27, 2015, is Mom’s 87th birthday. We will find a way to dance on that day too, in our own way, no matter how things are – good or maybe not so much. If you know or care for someone living with dementia, please reach out, take their hand and help them engage life in whatever way they can for as long as possible. They will be blessed. And so will you.
Here’s Matt’s video, the one that that inspired ours (as of today, it’s had close to 50 million shares 🙂 ):
Special thanks to Michael A. Horvich for the blog post that inspired this one.
September 27, 2016: I didn’t know it when I wrote this post in 2015 that it would be the last time we celebrated your birthday together, Mom. I love you and I miss you, and I hope you are dancing wherever you are ❤
https://myalzheimersstory.com/2016/09/26/dont-rest-in-peace-or-sleep-deceased/
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Great video Susan and Pat. Watching Mat’s dancing videos always makes me cry for the simplicity of relating to and loving fellow human beings. Watching you and mom dance was joyful and loving as well. You looked like you had such a fun time!
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We had an amazing time and it was a great summer project, which took weeks to complete. A wonderful memory until I don’t remember it anymore…
And I too love Matt’s vids 🙂
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Well THAT put a smile on my face! Thank you for sharing again.
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Yay! 🙂
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