http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaRexAgjWug

The Long Goodbye is a song I wrote about Ron and Nancy Reagan's love affair and how it ended so sadly do to the ravishes of Alzheimers. The irony of someone that had such a wonderous life to have it end ten or more years before he actually left the woman he loved was just sad...
© 2004 Kenneth Johnson

We've shared a wondrous life
It's hard to understand
But I have to say Goodbye
Now while I still can

And though we've done it all
There's still so much to do
Our Spring will turn to Fall
As I Winter without you

Remember all the smiles
But if you need to cry
Love's never out of style
Despite The Long Goodbye

And those who still believe
In love so deep and pure
Won't feel we've been deceived
By the things we must endure

I won't ask you to stay
But I'm praying that you'll try
I'll love you anyway
Despite The Long Goodbye

I know it's hard to see
A mind no longer there
But my heart will always be
As long as I breathe air

And in eternity
My love will fill the sky
As I watch and wait for thee
But now The Long Goodbye

I'll watch and wait for thee
'til you can be with me,
But now The Long Goodbye

I had to carry it on your behalf.
But there was always something else to do.
I had to fear, remember, and imagine,
but there was always someplace else to go.

I had to bear it all for you. For me.
Throw this out and keep that. Forget and know.
Old jokes, old anecdotes
struggle to the surface even now.

Our neighbors at the movie holding hands...
Another bubble bust. The tears went dry.
What had been slowly leaking, years and years:
the person who said "I".

This has reminded me of a new person at my Dad's nursing home. he was a WWII 2nd Lieutenant and local business owner. Now he gets lost in the same building and can't find his room or remember anything.

So sad .... his wife is also a resident but lives in the assisted living part, they are both 92 years old. I have seen signs in her just talking with her daily that she too is having issues recalling things or places she should know. She was upset that her kids got her to stop driving and sell her car. She was also upset that her house was being sold .... it is her money but she is upset anyway.

It is a tough thing getting old and needing help.

Alzheimer's is so terrible .... his roomate is a former science highschool teacher and he cannot even carry a conversation that makes sense other than the small everyday chit chat.

Another guy in there with Dementia I have spoken to everyday since August of last year, I have not been able to understand what he is talking about ever, not even once. Mostly senseless jibberish about nothing. "Hi there handsom, I went donw to the thing today and threw in another thing while balancing a girlman upstairs in the laundy basket. i take it out the thing and put it in the other thing .... okay thank you. I'm going to go upstairs and swim in the pond *makes a masturbation immitation and funny googly eyed look*". But he is always friendly until someone tries to help him with something that he has to be told like to sit down and have dinner. he starts getting beligerant and swears, slams doors and tries to punch people.

5 minutes later he is friendly and forgot what he just did. I try to talk to these people normally just so they can get some sense of normalcy. I nod my head in agreement when they something totally out there that makes no sense and agree with them like I understand. I found that 80% of the residents there have some form of Dementia or Alzheimers.

I found it amazing how their whole life is whatever is in front of them at that moment only.

I see a lot of sadness with family members there, I am no longer sad and have accepted that nothing can be done and change is not possible. I remember my Dad how he was and not how he is now.

Part of his day is my visiting so i always do unless I have a bad cold and per nursing home policy stay away until it is gone.

I feel so much for anyone dealing with family members in this situation. There isn;t any more I can say about that I guess.

Best wishes to all.

Alzheimers really is a monster..it robs you of your history, your loved ones, and eventually your life. By the time my father died of this he was unrecognizable as someone we knew...and I was relieved when he passed because the man I had known and loved had died years before.

While he still was able to recognize me he seemed to enjoy hearing me sing to him...."Daisy, daisy, give me your answer true..." or "Don't sit under the Apple Tree with anyone Else but Me"...he would nod and smile..music seems to touch some pts in a special way.

Have you read "Still Alice"? It is a powerful book.

Nik-Key, I hope that I spelled your name right? However what I wanted to say to you,is how much that song touched my heart! In more way's than you will ever know. On December the 26th our family took my Mom to see her Alzheimer's Dr. Mom has been dealing with this disease for 4 year's. When we were all in his office,he told us that Mom has less than 6 month's to live! We all knew that this was coming but one is never quite ready! I am from the RSD site:Breezy55. When I heard that song that you posted,I just wanted to you! Thanks so much once again! Elizabeth

I'm new to this site, but honestly believe that music can and does reach some inner awareness, my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers last year and is rapidly declining, it's extremely saddening to watch someone once (15months ago) so alive energetic and just plain fun to be around slip away more and more every day but I've noticed if you ever want to bring her to life, slip in a Patsy Cline cd and she will smile stand up and belt out the song word for word, I've since bought every CD I could get ahold of and play them whenever I can, I've even started recording her, everyone has told her throughout life that she sounds just like her and still does. Even though she wasn't quite sure who my sister was last summer at her wedding, when asked by the band if she'd like to sing, Mom stood up and had the crowd (my family at least) in tears when she sang 'Crazy' note for note and right on key! Even as mom is forgettin more and more none of us will ever hear this song without thinking of Mom and my sister's special day....for now while she's still here I make sure to play this at least once a day to give her alittle familiarity before lights out and hope she's thinking happy thoughts before she goes to sleep!

Singing to my mother seemed to help her (and me, too) a lot during her last days. Music stirred something very deep, especially gospel hymms and fiddle music (her brother was a musician when she was a teenager).