The 36-Hour Day

Hello everyone. I know it’s been about seven months since I have posted. Sorry about that! In my last post I wrote about being in the soup–the deconstruction of the caterpillar in the process of becoming a butterfly. That all-consuming stage lasted a bit longer than I had hoped—with lots of learning, adjustments and OMG moments. I now understand why the title of the classic book on caregiving for dementia patients is called, The 36 Hour Day.

The good new is that I’m emerging from the soup. I hope this means I can post more regularly again. There are so many things I want to share…but most of all I want to keep Gary in the hearts and minds of his friends and offer this blog as a way of communication. I will get better at this.

People often ask how Gary is doing. This is a difficult question to answer, because there are at least two ways to look at it. One is the medical reality. Gary is a very sick man. According to professional assessments, he is in the beginning of stage six of dementia. He has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; however there is also speculation that he may have Lewy Body Dementia. Either way, the disease will progress gradually, ultimately resulting in death. This is the harsh and heartbreaking reality. Knowing this is part of what kept me in the soup so long.

The other way to look at it is with utter gratitude and gladness that Gary is here now. He is safe. He is well-cared for. He is loved. Every day with Gary is filled with moments of love, sweetness, laughter, and fun. When I was in the overwhelming soup of caregiving, it was easy to miss these moments. But, I don’t want to miss them. I don’t want you to miss them. So I’ll begin sharing more of them. As often as I can. Pictures, videos, anecdotes. I added two to this post as a start!