Saturday, July 11, 2015

Picks

My husband Randy no longer carries guitar picks in his pocket.

He’s been carrying a handful for as long as I’ve known him.
We'll be married 36 years next month.

Just so you know, we’re not talking a few picks… more like a dozen. I know.

“Why do you carry so many picks?” I would ask.
“You never know when one might fall in my guitar” he would reply.
“Really? That many during one concert?” 
I would smile, cuz musicians are quirky like that.

Our granddaughter Emolyn became so enamored with her Pop Pop's guitar picks one Christmas (2009), she carried one in her little hand the entire evening while watching her Uncle Tyler, Pop Pop and Daddy play and sing Christmas carols.


Emolyn ~ Aunt Miranda ~ Mamaw
Tyler ~ Randy ~ Shawn
Well... a few months ago he was down to only one guitar pick in his pocket, even though he had not played his guitar in over a year. 

And then one day, he never put it back in his pocket.

I was heartbroken. I think I felt as long as he had one in his pocket, there was a chance he would play again.

So it has remained there ever since… along with some change, a wad of lint and his watch.

I couldn’t bring myself to remove it. So I let it collect a layer of dust, knowing one day I would snap a photo for keepsake.

My husband has Frontotemporal Dementia.

Picks Disease. 



You can read Randy's story HERE.

3 comments:

joanne said...

I'm so sorry, I can imagine how this must just tear you apart. Picks disease, the irony is sickening.

Fiona said...

Hi Linda, I haven't looked at your blog for a while and hadn't realised what you are going through, how even the little things hurt. My father-in-law was diagnosed with frontal lobe degeneration around 7 years ago, when he was 80 or so. But the signs were there earlier. His progression has been slower, but we've seen all the emotional symptoms, and the toll they have taken on my mother-in-law. He has lost all empathy and much awareness, but his language is still good, along with his memory (if something interests him). There have been inappropriate comments in the early days, followed by many strange repair jobs and purchasing of unneeded gadgets. He has been manic or drugged quiet and now waffles from one topic to another. He is now in a nursing home (suffering also from some unrelated physical problems) and fills his time with emailing and writing obituaries for dentist colleagues, if his computer is cooperating.

It has been a hard road for everyone, so I understand some of what you are going through. But how wonderful that Randy knows the Lord! My father-in-law went from being a nominal Christian to being strongly atheist with this condition.

My own husband is a violinist and musician, I can't imagine him ever not wanting to be playing music, it is an integral part of who he is, and what I love about him, it must be so hard for you now.

Your blog has always encouraged me. I hope you have an encouraging week ahead, filled with love and comfort from the only One who can give true love and true comfort in hard times.

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