ALZHEIMER'S BLOG

HAPPY NEW YEAR:
Well just like the rest of you, I have been busy today taking down our tree and putting away all the Christmas decorations. Saying good bye to last year will be easy. It has been real hard since my husband has not had a job for a year and I have been putting in so much overtime to make ends meet. But thank God I have a job.

As Jimmy and I were taking down the lights, I couldn't help but think about past Christmas's. The one that comes to my mind is the first one we ever had at this house. We moved here in sunny Arizona in Oct 2003. Dad could not remember anything about his life anymore, so we knew it was safe to move him with us. That November my daughter Jessica had got engaged at the Grand Canyon, right in front of us. But as life has it, at the same time my daughter Jennifer who was in the Army National Guard got her orders to go to Iran. We tried hard to make this a Christmas we wouldn't forget. So as dad sat on his favorite chair snoozing, we were all busy making Christmas happen. Jessica and Regina were busy decorating the yard, Jimmy was on the roof putting up lights, and Adias was putting up our little Christmas town. I decided that this year we would get a fake tree, (for the first time) and make it patriotic. I did it in all red, white and blue, with little flags and ornaments to match. It was a hard Christmas, for a couple of reasons. First I hated to see dad the way he was. I have so many memories of him playing Santa Clause. And of course I was scared knowing my baby was going to Iran. She was so brave, especially to her daughter. I must have shed a lot of tears that Christmas. But God is always watching us and that is always a comfort.

I know that there is a lot of people out there dealing with this terrible disease. I am going to try and blog this year, with the hopes of helping you deal with your loved one. To let see the good times and the bad times that we shared as a family. To let you know that you are not alone.
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com