I. Diagnosis

Photo By Millicent Harvey

The beginning of Anne’s and Bob’s journey in Anne’s words (intro post here) followed by the poem FINDING HOPE:

‘Our local doctor suspected that Bob had pre-senile dementia for several years before he was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by the Mayo Clinic. He was 62.At first, the news did not dramatically affect our lives. We lived in the small community of Grand Marais on the north shore of Lake Superior where we had many friends, a good support system and a nurturing physical environment. We were able to stay involved in community affairs, to visit our families and spend precious time with grandchildren, even to take extended vacations.Bob understood what was happening to him. He talked about it openly to individuals and groups. Together we wrote a book about the first years of our journey, Through the Wilderness of Alzheimer’s: A Guide in Two Voices, published by Augsburg/Fortress.Though our pace was slow and life became gradually more and more confining, we learned to pull over sometimes and fully appreciate the moment. Though there were definitely times of fear and anger and deep sadness, Bob was determined to show us that there were also ‘blessings’ in his disease.

FINDING HOPE

For monthsmy soul has been in winter,hardened by icedeep and cold and strong enoughto support all the worries of the daystanding there at once.They shuffle through my mindgrumbling, shifting weight,bundled against hopelike all the bitter womenI resolve not to become.Now, suddenly,you smile at methe way you used to do –eyes soft and twinkling,mouth turned up at one corner –and you reach out your hand.I hold it tillI feel the sun grow warm,feel hope bubble to the surface once againfrom those dark waterswhere poems, sluggish swim.- Anne Simpson