"I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens," Woody Allen.
I finished the book, Still Alice, by Lisa Genova. The portrayal in the book helps with the understanding of what is going on in the progression of dementia, especially that of early onset Alzheimer's Disease. It was a hard read from the perspective of the reminder of the wrenching grief for the caregiver and for person cared for. It was also a reminder of how people with this disorder are still shunned by our society; something we have experienced. People with cancer and other diseases are often surrounded by support; while people with dementia are avoided. As quoted from the book, "Facing her meant facing her mental frailty and the unavoidable thought that, in the blink of an eye, it could happen to them."
So, the book helps a caregiver see the disease through the eyes of the person who has it, but it is also full of sobering reminders. I do best with this disease by focusing on what is going right and how it is today. For me to look very far into the future is far too distressing. That does not mean, of course, not to plan for the future.
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