Dear Adriana. You have commented on my blog posts in the past. I invite you to explore my most recent series. It is titled “Oh No I’m a Caregiver – Dementia – Our Cautionary Story.” These posts are of special significance to me. Dementia appears to be a reality destined to assault all of our lives in one way or another eventually. I believe that the story I have to tell – through my initial post and others yet to come at – has valuable insights to offer. For this reason, I hope you will read it and pass it on to others so that they might benefit from what I am learning and from those insights.

For example… My husband Jonathan, who has recently been diagnosed with dementia, is actually quite fine at this early stage. He is engaged in lots of cognitively powerful activities. He writes original memoir pieces that are very good and says this is the result of sitting in on so many of my writing workshops over the past forty-five years. He now finds more joy in writing than the drawing and music that were his usual creative pursuits in the past. This is good because, as you know, portraying characters and composing scenes require a deep level of focus and detail concentration which is very beneficial for him. He also loves jigsaw puzzling – the 1500-piece variety. Again much concentration is required plus he has fond memory associations of doing puzzles with his mom when he was a boy. He also reads a lot – challenging books, as well as his favorite New York Times articles. He does regular physical exercise and has also begun gardening at our church which has a large planted space in sore need of attention. Medically, he is taking a basic drug that has disappeared his brain fog for the timebeing. We also have excellent medical professionals on our team and on our side.

Dementia is not like the tv commercials portray it to be. Their purpose is to ramp up fear and sell very expensive, very dangerous drugs. There is a long, gradual period before extreme changes begin, and the aggressiveness these ads emphasize can often be mitigated with simple mood medications that are harmless and affordable.

Meanwhile, there is a real-life story to be told here of real-life experience. I hope you will read and share it. Dementia is a reality for many of us and, unfortunately, promises to be a reality for many more. Truth is our best armor against being cast into despair by the prospect. I hope to add a little to that sustaining truth. Dementia is one of the many ways all of us will evolve from this life into whatever may lay beyond. Passing on is our universal destiny. Some of those passages involve discomfort and unpleasantness. We can perhaps be a bit better prepared if we understand realistically what to expect.

That is what our story – Jonathan’s and mine – is meant to do. Help others – in an honest and caring fashion – to be prepared. Love and Blessings. Alice

Dear Kayelle. Your face is in this post because I cannot imagine anyone who deserves to be there more. Your example of commitment, discipline and resilience impresses me anew again and again. Your generosity as well. You are a guiding light to all of us, especially those of us who have chosen the indie path. You have forged ahead along that path no matter what obstacles may have confronted you, and I am certain those obstacles have arisen for you as they do for all of us. You have never let any of that stop you in your pursuit of excellence in your writing career and excellence as a friend and role model also. May all the best of everything be your reward. Keep on Writing Whatever May Occur. Alice

Dear Adriana. Write for the love of it is a reminder we all need to hear regularly. Many other voices and distractions intervene, but we must hold in our minds and hearts the reason we all got into this writing thing in the first place – because we were drawn to it from the deepest part of our creative selves. We found joy in the process of imagining and bringing to life characters and stories that were ours and ours alone, and sharing those creations in whatever manner was available to us. Make Believe is at the heart of everything we do, and it is as much fun for us as it is for the most delighted child. May we all nurture that inner imagining child within our writer selves always. Keep on Writing Whatever May Occur. Alice