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If you’ve ever had firsthand experience with Alzheimer’s disease, then you know how devastating the degenerative illness can be – not only for the person suffering, but for those who love them, as well. It steals a person’s mind, memories, abilities, and, as the Reddit post below illustrates with heartbreaking accuracy, what makes them unique.
A 34-year-old Redditor from Camden, NJ, posted a photo that captures exactly what Alzheimer’s took from her mother — her ability to crochet, along with so much else.
The photograph shows 14 crocheted pieces that the woman knitted during the 2 years after her diagnosis, and the progression is breathtaking in the worst way possible.
You can clearly see her abilities fade along with her mind as she goes from knitting squares to circles to nothing at all.
“She made squares for a while, then the circles, then the little pieces of crochet, until she got to the point where she just carried around the needles and yarn in her purse,” the woman’s daughter wrote. “It has been a few years since she was able to speak and several since she was able to identify who I am.”
Her mother is just 66, and has already lived 12 years with her diagnosis, though it’s surely hard to say whether that is a blessing or a curse.
Others on Reddit responded with commiseration, stories of their own experience with the disease, and simple messages of encouragement to remind the woman she’s far from alone.
If you’re worried someone you love might be showing signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia, or if someone you love is suffering and you’re struggling to cope, please call the Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 1-800-272-3900.