Our Story - On Film

Dear dementia,

When our mum dripped away from us so very slowly, but so very loudly, it was difficult for me to be calm. My insides rushed and roared about and my feelings grasped for a normality that slipped and slid away from me, disappearing and reappearing without warning.

There was no constant in the beginning, no pattern just an overwhelming feeling of change.

I wanted to shrink mum down and keep her safe in my pocket. Protect her from dangers and mistakes. Such an intelligent, capable and captivating mum full of energy and spark had started to become quiet and still.

I often got asked “Does your mum know who you are?” I have and will always say yes. How devastatingly crushing it must be for a parent to have so much love for their child, to fall ill, and then for the child to now presume the love has gone and therefore their precious relationship had gone with it.

For me it would be a tragic disservice to ever think that mums love for us went away. I will never think it. I felt her love then and I still feel it now and I know I always will.

Our ‘Constant Love’ took me on a pilgrimage of sorts. I wore mums socks every day and carried her photo with me. In fact, I felt so close to mum throughout our adventure that I was, I must admit, shocked that she wasn’t at the finish line. Claire reassured me that she was.

Thank you to Claire for telling me about the Camí De Cavalls. For being my partner in crime, my absolute rock and my personal cheerleader and on tap comedian.

Dan, thank you for being chief breakfast and packed lunch maker, delivery and pick up service and momento teaser.

Thank YOU to all, whether you sponsored us, wished us luck, bothered to watch a silly video update it all helped and positively contributed to our ‘quite hard challenge’.

Thank you mum