He Never, Ever Forgets You

Working in a nursing home I sometimes become quite frustrated with the Lord. I see these wonderful people who have to not only experience the disease of Alzheimer's, but have to endure it, sometimes for years. Some of the residents are in their 90s! I find it hard sometimes to understand why the Lord doesn't just take them home with him so they don't have to live with the adverse affects of old age and Alzheimer's. It seems almost as if he has forgotten them as so many families forget their parents and just ship them off to a home because it takes too much work to care for them. Today, though, I received a different view which has not answered my questions, but instead helped me live with them unanswered.
A lady at the nursing home who we'll call Ida has been a resident there for years. She is very sweet, but as of late has become so confused that she often wakes up at night thinking it is day and sleeps during the day. She also thinks about every other day is Sunday so she is constantly getting dressed up and bringing her scriptures to breakfast. She has become more combative as her illness has progressed because she can't understand why others have a hard time understanding her. Despite these things she is sweet and chipper and has a wonderful smile and spirit. I love her very much and it is hard to see her try to endure the confusion and age.
Today she went for a walk with her daughter, something that is quite usual and I didn't expect to see her for a while, when suddenly the locked doors swung open as her daughter was trying to help her into the facility. At first I was afraid that Ida had fallen because she was stumbling and weak. She hadn't, but she her legs had given out as they were walking. "I don't know how I made it back here!" she exclaimed as we helped her into a recliner. Her daughter went off to talk to a nurse as Ida rested in her chair. I noticed a few minutes later that Ida was crying. Worried that she was upset at her body for giving out on her I knelt in front of her chair and asked if there was anything I could do and if she was OK. She nodded as her shoulders continued to shake and said simply, "I just received a blessing from the Lord, he helped me." I sat there for a minute a little surprised, but touched by how much faith and trust she had in God. A little after that I saw her with her eyes closed muttering and when I got closer I realized she was praying. So at that moment when she could be cursing her fate of being alive so long that her body was failing she was actually thanking the Lord, enduring, and having the faith to continue on.
So although I don't know why some of these residents have to endure the disease of Alzheimer's so long I do know one thing and that is that the Lord never, ever forgets them or us. He remembered a sweet old lady that had a moment of weakness and could have been helped back inside if she fell, but he stepped in when she needed him most. He was right beside her because of the love He has for her. Even when it feels like you're all alone he never forgets you it's just life and life is hard, but the Lord is there waiting to help us if we have the faith.