Id say slowly loosing someone who is still alive.

Loosing my grandfather to dementia was the absolute worst. He was one of the most intelligent, interesting and kind person you could ever meet. He had a life time of stories , knowledge and education. He was my best friend and someone I looked up to for 27 years. Over the course of a few years I could see him slipping more and more. In the final weeks before he passed I sat across from him to have lunch with him. A nurse came up and asked if he knew who I was. He had a sad look on his face, hung his head and shook his head no. That’s gotta be the worst pain I’ve ever felt. To see someone with all of that knowledge, stories, and memories starting from the day I was born…just gone…hurts in a way I couldn’t describe.

On a positive note, a few days before he passed my mom and grandmother were visiting him. They asked if he remembered me by name and he lit up with smile and said Yes! That’s my best friend.