Special Memories of Madelyn

by Kay Heitsch

When Madelyn* walked into the room, everyone knew that an elegant, refined lady was present. She carried herself in such a way that grace and poise were evident with every step she took. Even when the Alzheimer's disease took over more of her mind, some of the clothes Madelyn selected to wear were not exactly matching. Even still, you felt it must be a "new look" of a fashion magazine's front page by the way she carried herself.

Because Madelyn's shopping instinct never left, she was known for going from resident to resident's rooms and "shopping" through their closets, and taking whatever looked pretty. She would often say as she took something, "Oh, this is pretty." It wasn't long before I would see her walking down the hallways with several things over her arm that she had "shopped" for. Finding where they all belonged could be quite a task. Finding where she decided to deposit them was yet another.

Music was a big part of Madelyn's life. She loved music and dancing. I kept the music playing in the room, and she would dance every day. I would see this smile come to her face, and her eyes would light up when she heard the music. Madelyn would glide around the room by herself with some unseen visitor. Often, I would tell her that if she led, I would dance with her. Some days Madelyn would sit in the chair by the window and stare out, listening to the music. I felt this gave her time to relax, as she usually walked nonstop.

Madelyn had special children who would come and visit. I would enjoy seeing how nice she looked whenever her daughter came and dressed her. Madelyn was always happy to see her little dog and her youngest granddaughter. This little girl certainly had grandma's sense of style. It was good to see Madelyn's family take her for walks and come to the gatherings we had at the Memory Care Center.

The disease progressed quite rapidly for Madelyn. It wasn't long before she no longer "shopped" or walked. It was sad to see her in the wheelchair. However, to the end, Madelyn still held her hands in just the right way, and you knew she was a lady of refinement.

* Names have been changed