I
was sick on the 4th of July when I was 6 years old. Dad promised, though, that I
could use my sparklers when I was well. I was visiting my aunts and grandma at
their house a few days later and excitedly told them that I was going to use my
sparklers that night. Grandma called an aunt over and asked if it was the 4th
of July.
I
was terrified at Grandma's question! At the age of 6, I was absolutely certain
that adults knew everything. Yet here was my Grandma not knowing if it was the
4th of July! Unthinkable. I didn't tell anyone that I was frightened and no one
realized that I was upset about something. I kept trying to puzzle out what was
happening. I can still feel how scary it was to realize that an adult might not
even know what day it was!
And
so all these years later I have written the story of Johnny, a little boy who
thinks his grandmother doesn't love him anymore because she is acting
differently. Mommy explains about grandmother's illness in a way that makes
Johnny happy.
Unlike
me, Johnny is sad rather than afraid. Also unlike my true-life experience,
Johnny's mom realizes something has upset him and helps him.
I
wrote the story to help families cope with a difficult problem that occurs so
often: a child dealing with the decline of a loved one. I hope my story is of
help to you.Special Secret Hearts: a Child's Introduction to Dementia http://amzn.to/KhvXA8
