Bringing awareness to my friends & family

Last night, while I was talking to a very close friend on the phone, I read my latest poem to her called "The Fog." She said that it was beautiful. Then she said something that has really given me a lot to think about. She said that the poem helped her to understand a little better about what it is like for me. I've known her for over thirty years and she has known about my diagnosis since I received it, six years ago.

I guess that I haven't been as open with my family and very closest friends about what it is like to live with a memory impairment, as I should be. Why is this? I'm not really sure, but I hope over time I can figure this out.

Today my friend and I spent some time together and she told me that she'd like to see the video that I made about the day that I got my diagnosis. I told her that the next time that we get together I would bring my laptop and we would watch it together.

I have not shown this video to anyone else except my mom. My mom and I watched it several months ago and we both cried. I don't think that my children know about this video or the poems that I have written. I think that eventually, I will share these things with them, but the time has to be right. I guess that I don't want my children's lives to be consumed by this impairment! Then again, I'm realizing that I need to work on educating them.

For me, I think I just need to find a balance, in other words, share more with them, but not all of the details all the time. Sometimes it can be overwhelming for me to deal with and I don't want to do that to them.