Legendary Musician Glen Campbell wrote this song almost two years after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Having already struggled with the disease for a few years, the song’s lyrics accurately describe the trials that his family would face.
My mom could do nothing but lie in bed after breaking her ankle. For trips to the bathroom, doctor and physical therapy, and all her basic needs she relied on my dad. Providing such physically-demanding support 24/7 was hardly feasible for my elderly dad, let alone for my brother and I. The solution? Pass the torch.
My hands shook uncontrollably as I tried to screw off the top of a bottle of Benadryl. The little plastic measuring cup seemed more like a tiny thimble as I attempted to pour the correct amount of medication. My son, Jasper, was having an allergic reaction to peanuts. Red splotches develop all over. His tongue and face swell.
Jim Walberg has always lived his life to the fullest. He started two successful businesses and participated in sporting events, including triathlons and marathons, just to name a couple. Since overcoming both prostate cancer and a nasty tumor on his pituitary gland, not to mention losing his colon to ulcerative colitis, his zest for life hasn’t wavered.
When I first started thinking about creating Outpatient Inc., my situation mirrored the frustrating dilemma of Oniqa Moonsammy, the 33-year-old who Time magazine recently profiled in a story about Americans who are struggling to hold on to their jobs while also caring for elderly parents and relatives.