Had to get this in my blog right away, how exciting, Mac has not been reminicing for a long time, hardly ever goes back to the days in St. Henri, in fact can't remember the last time he talked about remembering anything, so a red letter day. We were at the Atwater Library..a young woman, Liz, asked us to come to do a Virtual Memory Box..She met us at the Alzheimer's Cafe, where she spoke about her project. I inquired, and she said she would get in touch with us about this project and she did.
This Virtual Memory Box, is a way of getting A. patients and caregivers to talk together with Liz about the pictures and memorabilia they have - she then asks them to sort throught the articles and pictures and decide to arrange them in a way that they can be presented through a kind of on-line movie...As usual I put the ideas i had plus the planning of the pictures off to a rather late time, i.e. last night...so threw whatever i had around in an envelope and today, off we went to the Library - using Transport Taxi...
Well the memory part obviously worked, as when we were sorting the pictures and talking to Liz about the pictures, three of which I pointed out were taken on Laporte Street...Mac livened up saying...Laporte Street, I remember, going down those stairs.- he pointed to the picture - ..then, there was a train nearby, and on the street i would go straight straight down to the end and there was my school...It's not there anymore"...What school?? said Liz, all excited, and he tried to remember so I interjected Louis Evans...then Liz said, "this is terrific, I live in St. Heni..on St. Jacques near Descourcelles...how happy Mac was to talk about st. Henri, as he launched into a story he used to tell quite frequently...but certainly not for the past year...and that is how a big bully who was French came and started blustering and pushing ...then Mac said, we were all like family on the street, even though my family was practically the only English one, we all were friends ...and when I punched the guy who was pushing me, he ran away...and even the French kids were happy...he was not from our street.' Well he repeated this story in several different ways about three times...
Then Liz showed him one of the pictures, one in which he and I are celebrating my High School Grad night. We were at the Normandy roof - which used to be the top of Mount Royal Hotel, a fine wine and dining room, considered one of the finest in Montreal at that time..we thought we were quite the adults, in fact I had my long hair cut and curled for the occasion. Liz said do you know who these people are...Mac answered A boy and a girl....so that's how she labeled it. He talked a little more about his mother being in St. Henri, and although we tried to get him to respond to the pictures of his sisters he took some interest, and only seemed to respond a little to the dog in the picture. I said that dog is your mom's dog, Lady..do you remember Lady, well he said "I am trying to remember, but it was a long time ago."
Whenever he can't remember,that is what he always says ...and so after that he was not as keen, but the whole process was fun...and it was as if he woke up from a long sleep and had a real perky conversation, that excited both us and him...and he smiled and reacted in such a positivie way, it literally made my day...and for Liz, the excitement never left....and though she and her boyfriend tried again and again, he was not responding quite the same, but before the memory leaves me, i want to report it...here in the blog...we're home now and it's time for supper so - a bientot...
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