Chasing Ruth, Who's Chasing Ruth

For ALL who LOVE someone with Alzheimer's, ALS, MS, cancer, or some debilitating and challenging disease .  . . for you and their CAREGIVERS, this piece is for you.  "Chasing Ruth" is actually about my Mom, Noreen Woodring Geiger, who just passed away.  Life is beautiful, and she sure was.  Grace and mercy to you all.  Hang in there. They can hear us.  They can feel us. They are IN there. Hang in and hang on.
 
....by Dr. Jane N. Geiger, M.A. from Handling Difficult Holidays

Chasing Ruth, Who's Chasing Ruth

We've spent all morning looking for things
An earring, a spoon, the newspaper
A diamond ring
An heirloom

She thinks she left it in the mailbox

For lunchtime fun she wanted to make sandwiches
We had peanut butter and jelly
And roast beef
And ham
With nuts
On rye

She used to be a gourmet cook
Total command of the kitchen
She was sensual that way -
Not just tasting, savoring
Not recipes, creations
Ruth's kitchen
Romantic

By dinner time my patience was wearing thin
She wanted to go out that afternoon
I did not hear her leave

They found her at the bottom of the hill
Confused, entering the highway
Looking for her hair dresser

Ruth's hair was long and black with sheen
Always a beauty, vanity remains
Even while her mind is going
I'm grateful for that, any sign of her former self
Her eye for beauty, love of all things fine
But we're going to need
An in-home stylist

It's nearing bedtime, and our day is almost done
We have bath time, dry time, pamper time
Silky creams, the ones she always liked
We read a story, cuddle a bit, sleep

But, morning comes and scares the hell out of me
I'm going to have to double lock the door
Set up some high bolt, out of her reach
I'm an atheist, but I pray to God
She's in the house...
She is.

She's chasing the morning's already-lost items
Paper clips, a can of almonds, a scarf
We all know she's chasing Ruth
We're all chasing Ruth

In her lucid moments I think she could be fully here
I've never given that up...I can play chase, too

But, we all know better
We've been losing our radiant Ruth
one treasure hunt at a time

I am not religious, but I thank God
I chased that girl
all over this country, Europe,
and every Italian cruise ship we could not afford
For we laughed and played
Our life of rich days, love well-spent, memories saved