One of the heart-rending surviving- Ondoy stories I’ve read was Agence France Presse’s account of Rojanie Asuncion and her Alzheimer’s stricken mother, Flora Geronimo.
The story tells of Flora, only 69- years old, who went missing on Sept. 26 amid floods that swamped 80 percent of Metro Manila. Since Because of her condition, she was unable to tell rescuers her name, where she was from and how she got to the center in Marikina City.
For three days Rojanie, 37, her family members and friends searched for her mother “across the disaster zone, trudging through mud, climbing over debris and checking mud-streaked faces of survivors.”
They sent out urgent appeals on television and radio stations, and posted pictures of Flora in hundreds of evacuation centers.
One day, Rojanie said some good souls called up the numbers after seeing their appeal on TV to say that a woman who looked like the one in the picture flashed on TV “was found with no other apparent relative in the area,” was in an evacuation center in Marikina City
“We are so happy that we are all still together after the flood … There were times I thought I would never be able to find her,” said Rojanie.
The story touched me deeply because my mother also suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). I felt the anguish that Rojanie went through looking for her mother.
We had our scary moments when our mother would leave the house while we were busy with other things. One time she was found in the middle of South Luzon Expressway somewhere in Laguna by the tollway patrollers. It was quite a distance from my sister’s place in Molino, Cavite where she was staying at the time.
It was a good thing that at that time, her AD was still in the early stage and she was still able to remember our address in Las Piñas.
Another time, she was found in Alabang by DSWD personnel and all she could tell them was her daughter was “a reporter in Malacañang”. I was then covering the Malacañang beat.
The day before, when she went missing I went to police stations and barangay halls in Las Piñas looking for her. Police desk officers would give me a strange look when I tell them that I was looking for my mother, as if telling me “what kind of a daughter are you that you neglected your mother.”
Feeling helpless and losing hope, I went to work. When I arrived in Malacañang in the afternoon I was told by a member of the staff in the press office that someone in DSWD Alabang called up to say they have my mother was with them.
I am forever grateful to the personnel at DSWD Alabang. They even brought my mother home because they had to close the office and I couldn’t be there before 5 pm.
Sometimes, a neighbor would find her looking lost in our subdivision and bring her back to us immediately. But there were times when she would be missing for two days. Those were traumatic experiences. The stories of how she was bought back to us every time she got lost re-affirm my faith in God, belief in the power of prayer, and goodness of friends and strangers.
AD is named after Alois Alzheimer, who first described the condition in 1906 marked by plagues and tangles around and inside the brain cells.
Typically, Alzheimer’s begins slowly with memory lapses, such as groping for common words or misplacing keys and glasses. Over time, symptoms become more obvious like the patient losing the ability to do routine things such as cook or play cards.
Patients lose their ability to find their way around, to recognize loved ones and eventually cannot care for themselves. When they realize they are lost, they become anxious.
My mother’s AD manifested when she was in her early 70’s. She passed away in 2003 when she was 83 years old. It was her birthday yesterday.
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If there are still members of the family and friends who are missing, please call Sagip Kapamilya hotlines at 411-0011; 4110012; and 4110013.
Hotlines for missing persons: Marikina – 09209389914; Quezon City – 09216555262;
Pasig – 09189356318; and Cainta – 09175606241.
Ellen,
What a touching story.
Indeed, one of the plagues affecting the older and getting old generation is Alzheimer’s.
I’ve never seen it up close but from what I’ve read, the ravages it could cause to the patient and to his/her loved ones are frightening.
It is one of the diseases I’m frightened of, sort of not being in control anymore is a devastating thought.
Naku naman…naiiyak ako kasi ang tatay ko ay meron niyan ngayon.
Ellen, yung isang episode sa nanay mo ay pareho sa aking ama. Last week, he was found by a neighbor walking far from home at 5:00 a.m., hindi alam kung papano babalik. Tuloy ay ipinakuha ko ng tagasunod dahil natutumba na rin.
This is just factoid and does not make any easier what happens when self or family member becomes an Alzheimers statistic.
Two former powerful leaders of the Western World have joined many citizens of this planet, humbled by Alzheimers — Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.
Nakakalungkot naman to have to deal with loved ones who are afflicted with AD. At 88, I am glad that my mom still remembers almost everything. I guess we are the lucky ones. But I have friends dealing with this disease with their parents. It is not easy.
I really feel for all people going or having gone through adversities like these—coping with how to pay the bills as well as caring for a loved one single-handedly.
My brother once had lapses of getting lost although his is more a mental breakdown. We would often look into police precincts and brace for the worst. Thank God those years are over and he’s more capable of getting around in a more lucid way. One thing we urge him is always carry his id card or voter’s id. anything with our parent’s address and phone number in it.
Mapalad kayong mga nabubuhay pa ang mga magulang sapagkat naibabahagi ninyo ang makabuluhang sandali upang sila ay makasama’t makapiling tuloy maipadama ang pagmamahal at masuklian ang kanilang mga sakripisyong nagbunga ng kung mga ano kayo ngayon.
Mahalin ninyo sila.
Ganyan din ang tatay ko bago siya pumanaw ilang taon na ang nakakaraan. Kung saan saan siya napapadpad nang hindi niya nalalaman tuloy parang hilo ang kapatid ko kung kanino siya nakatira sa kahahanap. Awa naman ng Diyos ay nakakauwi siya kapag bumalik at luminaw muli ang alaala.
Dalawang mukha ng gobyerno, isang naninisi:
‘Blame Game’ is now playing
http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct07/news1.htm
Isang nagtatanggol:
Pichay defends LWUA party
http://www.malaya.com.ph/oct07/metro4.htm
Kaya sa susunod na eleksiyon, tandaan ang mga mukha at pangalan at huwag iboto ang mga hudas na ‘yan!
Peso eases to 46.75:$1
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/07/09/peso-eases-46751
Maipagmamalaki ba natin ito?
Lumakas nga ang piso, meron naman kayang mabibili?
Puwede ba, magpakatotoo naman sila sa harap ng ganitong nakalulunos sa kalagayan ng mga tao?
Off topic for those who know Alecks Pabico, formerly of PCIJ. I got word that he just passed away.
Praying for him and his family.
Malaking kalokohan nga ang pinapakita ng lintik na government na ito, mga bugok at gung-gong ang nagma-manipulate di2… pinapakita kuno nila sa buong mundo na malakas ang piso kontra sa dolyar para sa ganun ma-attract ang mga foreign investors.
Pano na kaming mga OFW kung parating talo kami sa palitan ng dolyares!
Sana “Election” na.
those who know Alecks Pabico, formerly of PCIJ, I got word that he just passed away. – Ellen
I never knew Alecks personally, but we had a more than a few exchanges of emails which started during Erap’s juetengate and his article on the-then-sprouting use of cyberspace as a venue for protests.
I love reading his posting in PCIJ.
Rest well Alecks. You have served the people’s right to information very well.
Naaawa ako kay Alecks, yung last updates niya sa FB puro pictures ng anak niya pati na yung mga fund raising events para sa kanya. Kahapon nanghihingi pa si Ding (Gagelonia) ng blood donors, I suggested to try the military, alam mo naman pag nagdonate sila, platoon o batalyon lalo kung kamag-anak ng opisyal. Kaso mahirap dahil puro pagod at nasa alert status pa yata dahil sa calamity at trouble sa Basilan.
We will definitely miss Alecks. Isa siya sa mga pundasyon ng political blogging sa Pilipinas.
Hindi kayang burahin ng kamatayan lamang ang naipundar mo Alecks para sa laban tungo sa maayos na pamahalaan. Isa kang malaking kawalan, pero marami ding naghihintay na punan ang iyong iniwanang laban. God, please welcome him into your home.
Thanks for the info, Ellen.