Bruce Willis suffers from a degenerative disease that affects his abilities.

In this moving piece, Emma Heming talks about the difficulties of maintaining the magic of Christmas with a sick loved one.

Abstract

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, but it’s not always possible to put aside worries during this time. This is especially true when a loved one is ill, which affects not only them but also those around them. Emma Heming Willis, wife of Bruce Willis, wrote a moving article explaining this. Several years ago, the actor was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a degenerative disease that affects speech and behavior, and his wife recently revealed that  she no longer lives with the family  . With Christmas approaching, she now has the opportunity to explain how the illness affects the family. Video of the Day:

Christmas changed with Bruce Willis’ illness

In a  blog post  titled  “Christmas Looks Different Now  ,” Emma Hemming Willis explains:  “Moments that once brought me simple joy can now turn into a real ball of sadness. I’ve learned that the holidays don’t disappear with dementia, they change.”

For example, she admits to feeling a bit irritated at times.  “I sometimes, without any malice, complain to Bruce when I’m decorating for Christmas or doing tasks that used to be his. Not because I’m angry with him—I never am—but because I miss the way he used to celebrate Christmas,  ” says Emma Hemming, who sees it as  “another reminder of how much things have changed.”

Bruce Willis always loved to party

All of this can be especially painful because Bruce Willis always loved Christmas and was deeply involved in organizing the holiday.  “He loved this time of year—the energy, the time spent with family, the traditions. He was the one baking pancakes, playing in the snow with the kids, he was the constant presence in the house all day long,”  says Emma Hemming Willis, adding,  “Dementia doesn’t erase those memories. But it creates a space between the past and the present. And that space can hurt.”

However, she wants to emphasize that while the illness affects the holidays, it doesn’t prevent celebrations.  “This holiday season, our family will still unwrap presents and sit down for breakfast together. But instead of Bruce making our favorite pancakes, I’ll be making them,”  she says, concluding:  “Joy doesn’t negate sadness. Sadness doesn’t negate joy. They coexist.”