Burt is still a difficult man.
The diagnosis didn’t change that. He had quirks that irked when he was healthy.
Let’s be honest, if you’re married, then your spouse has an annoying habit or two.
His illness had me step back a little. It put my annoyance in perspective.
The anxiety he’d lived with all his life was now also a symptom of his dementia.
Quirks had to be met with kindness.
His disease has robbed him of so much.
He no longer possesses the cognitive capacity to make sound decisions nor the agency to act on his own.
He has to accept direction from me.
He hates being bossed. He wants to be in charge.
His abilities no longer meet his ambitions.
Burt may be difficult, but he is also affectionate. He aims to be helpful. Burt wants to be protective of those he loves.
My job has come to be the protector.
this is our life 