It is one of Johan Garpenlövs last days in may back home in Sweden.
On Wednesday, he travels to Bratislava, where the hockey world CUP starts on Friday.
At the stage I have done countless interviews with Johan Garpenlöv, who, after three seasons as an assistant coach of Tre Kronor, the next season takes over the main responsibility for the Swedish national ice hockey team.
We have been talking about the powerplay, the need for more scorers and a lot of other things that belong to the world of hockey.
this time meet to eat lunch at a conference venue in Sollentuna, we are both slightly more tense than usual.
this time, we’ll talk about something else and more personal.
We’ll talk about how it feels to lose someone you love to a darkness where they will not be able to reach despite the fact that they still live and breathe.
” My mom has always been very nurturing and have loved to bring the family, but slowly, this changed. She wanted to not get hit as often, and when we got there she invited no longer home without cooked food. She no longer wanted to travel, and she didn’t want to go away on dinners, ” explains Johan Garpenlöv.
” the First thought was that she is getting old, and has lost its strength. But then began the dad tell that something was not as it should be. Then we realized that it was not normal aging was behind her change.
” The toughest time was when she understood what the disease would lead to. Because she had worked as a nurse, she knew what the diagnosis of alzheimer’s meant.
And it was tough to see how her disease affected my dad. They have been together the whole life…
”The toughest time was when she understood what the disease would lead to. Because she had worked as a nurse, she knew what the diagnosis of alzheimer’s meant,” says Johan Garpenlöv of his mother eva’s feelings after the sjukdomsbeskedet. Photo: Jonas Lindkvist
bears no longer and he can’t finish the sentence. He stops and looks down at the table while he tries to collect himself.
To tell the family’s story hurts, but he wants to make it in order to create awareness about the disease.
– All people have the right to a dignified old age and a dignified end of life.
It was, therefore, Johan two years ago got in touch with with Alzheimerfonden.
He is brought up in the spirit that can do something should you do it, something that was reinforced during the ten seasons he played in the NHL, where the players and the clubs often engage in a variety of projects.
he fund’s ambassador , and helping to collect money, among other things, by auction hockeytröjor that Swedish NHL players have donated.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a platform that will give me the opportunity to reach out to people, and then I want to use it for something good and try to make a difference,” says Johan Garpenlöv.
– to learn more about this disease, funding for research increase. Research is a and o. In the best of worlds we can get a cure, or at least something that relieves or stops the disease so that those who are affected will have a decent life.
” I think every year we get between 30 and 40 million Alzheimerfonden benefits. The sum must increase. In addition, I would like to see the state of research funding also increased.
In many ways, this is a disease that there still is far too little of.
In many ways, this is a disease that there still is far too little of. Sometimes I think that it is almost treated casually, which is largely safe due to the fact that it primarily affects older people.
Eva was 70 years old when the family received the news that she had a dementia.
” I had of course heard of dementia, but I actually knew nothing about the disease.
the Family was fortunate that when they sought medical attention, they received quickly, good and adequate help to make the investigation as needed.
– With the help of the tests that they took at the health center, they could conclude that she had dementia, but they could not say what type it was. The doctor saw, however, to get the mother in Huddinge. By taking ryggmärgsprover and scan the brain, they could there establish what it was she had suffered.
” It was after the examinations we were told that it was alzheimer’s that Eva had.
Johan Garpenlöv and Elias Pettersson during the Three par training in the Globe last week. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT
time dad continued Kjell to care for Eva at home, but in the end it was too tough.
the Mother said the whole time that she wanted to stay at home. Several times she said to dad: ”You have to promise me that you will never put me in the home.” She can still say she wants to go home even though she today do not know what it is.
– But some nights she was awake almost the entire night, which meant that dad was completely exhausted. My brother and I supported my dad, but we also ran on that he would understand that the situation was unsustainable.
In the end, however, it was he who had to make the decision, and it took a long time. Maybe he should have taken it earlier, but he needed time.
live Eva, that in the day sitting in a wheelchair and needs help with all everyday activities, in a demensboende where she has it good.
” I must say that I admire those who work there. They have a wonderful patience, and, in addition, it is a bunch of young girls who regularly comes there and helps to activate the accommodation.
– In the day feel also dad better. He has begun to get back some joy in life. At the same time he still felt bad for that he is not with her mother often enough, and may think that he is not enough. Ideally he would have liked to have left her at home, but it is not.
” It is clear that the thoughts on if it is hereditary has come, and if it is hereditary what can I do to stop it or at least shoot at it.
– But just as many who suffer from some form of illness in the family, I also believe that I have learned to appreciate life more. Nothing is forever, and you don’t know what happens in the future, so it comes to enjoy good moments.
” I’m trying to also the health of the mother as often as I can. As long as she is still there, I want to take advantage of the opportunity.
eaten . Johan Garpenlöv shall soon go and meet some of the hockeyförbundets sponsors.
During the whole of John’s hockeykarriär was my father, Kjell, and mother, Eva, an invaluable support, and when the Three Crowns in 2017 won the world CHAMPIONSHIP gold medal, Johan took out the gold medal to mother.
When she got to see the medal I suddenly saw a smile in her face.
” Hockey has been a big part of her life also, and when she got to see the medal I suddenly saw a smile in her face. It was fun to see, ” says Johan.
When I ask Johan about when it is like maxing his mother now live in a world that he does not have access to the silenced, he for a long while.
once again, struggling with the grief and loss that is always there, but as a man in everyday life have to push aside to be able to every day put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward.
” Mom has always been the one that I have surrat with the sensitive stuff. To no longer be able to have these conversations on the tongue, and for the sake of also fun things, I miss.
– And the grief that she did not get to see my kids grow up will always be there.
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