Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal:

December 1, 2002

Live is full of learning lessons. We must be open to learn and live. We are given tribulations, blessings, suffering, and we must figure out the difference and learn happiness, patience, and love in order to grow and be a better person.
I sort of knew this most of my life, but now it seems I am being tested much more severely than in the past.
I raised five children and have been in a marriage for almost 29 years. I have had to fight to be strong, been so poor that we had to live on pennies to buy milk, been moved away from family and friends great distances. I have known loneliness. I returned to school late in life, and discovered that I was dyslexic. But no trail has tested me or taught such lessons as I am learning now.
I can use your prayers when I find myself being short-tempered when I know I should not be; when I become aggravated with my situation ans should not be. I am discovering my shortcomings and learning to deal with them. I will be a better person for this trial.
I need to thank Julie for the poem,"A Beautiful Prayer." It is so true. I cannot just pray for patience, or happiness, or sparing of pain, or to make my spirit grow. I have to do this myself from what God has given me while I'm on earth. But I can ask God to help me LOVE others as much as he does.

Thank you for reading. I will try to put in a little of my journal this month as I relive one of my Christmas pasts, while taking care of my father in law with his Alzheimer's. Remember to look on line at the different Alzheimer Sites. Also find your self an Alzheimer Support Group. Some additional Web-links are:
Alzheimer's Weekly, Alzheimer's Society, OurAlzheimer's.com, TheCaregiversVoice.com, The Alzheimer's Association, Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and Alzheimer's Disease, Education, and Referal Center, Just to name a few.
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press, An Imprint Of James A. Rock & Co., Pub.
www.mariefostino.com