Through The Looking Glass

Through The Looking Glass

This is my grandma, recently diagnosed with dementia, shortly before COVID struck, and placed in a local care facility 10 minutes from where I live. It wasn't unusual for me to show up there everyday after school to either color pictures with her or paint her nails to try to ensure her memory stayed in tact for as long as possible despite the inevitable loss of memory she faced in the near future. My grandpa passed away just months before COVID struck so my grandma was just recently on her own. Despite a drastic change after my grandpa's death, COVID then forced the closure of the care facility she lives in and thus our daily visits and girl time came to an abrupt stop. March 12th was the last time I've spoken to my grandma in person, nonetheless have face to face interaction like we used to so frequently. They still prohibit visitors to this day. Today is March 23rd which marks a year and 11 days since I've been able to have any sort of connection with my grandma who, since March of 2020, has slowly lost much of her conversational abilities due to dementia. She's been isolated from human connection which is extremely detrimental, especially in those with dementia. COVID has stolen 376 days from an already shortened period of time I have left with my grandma. Trying to keep her memory as fresh as possible became impossible as I can now only visit her, periodically per the rules of the facility, through a thick window linked to a video chat on an old iPad. This is time I'll never get back.

Mya Gartland

August 9th, 2020 - About 6 Months Into Pandemic