I've been married to my wonderful husband Donald for 38 years.  In the latter half of 2012 our lives would take a drastic change.  A change we could never have imagined. During that time we had experienced a string of tragedies, but nothing could have prepared us for the journey we were about to embark upon.  You see, my husband was about to join millions of other American’s diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Early Onset Dementia.  We received the official diagnosis in 2013.

 

He had worked faithfully in the government for 38 years in various positions and was nearing retirement when this all began to surface.  As I've reflected back to that time, I believe I saw symptoms of “something”, but simply could not put my finger on just what was happening to him. When there were family events some of his siblings would even mention to me that my husband “didn't quite seem like himself.”

 

His job performance began to suffer and we were utltimately advised to see a neurologist.  Test after test after test.  During those times, how I hoped and prayed his test results would end to our favor--I didn't want to face what was being suggested based on what had been happening to him.  The stories I'd heard and read about of this dreadful disease brought about great fear.

 

We soon received the diagnosis, and as suspected, it was Alzheimer's/Early Onset Dementia.  My husband was approaching his 58th birthday at the time, and our lives felt like everything had crumbled.  Since then, there have certainly been many daily struggles.  Good days and bad; living moment by moment.  Most days, I hope and pray for a good day with him.  But each day is unpredictable due to the disease.

 

I wanted to share my story, because now I know and understand firsthand the effects of Alzheimer's/Early Onset Dementia, on the individual, and especially the family, who without any preparation suddenly assume the role of caretaker—it is a difficult and exhausting effort.  In the early stages, you know your loved one is still there; you can still “see the person”, but they are trapped inside of what must be a very strange, frightening, and frustrating place for them.

 

And while this is such a great tragedy for our family, there is still a somewhat positive side to our story which actually gleans a little bit of hope--the real reason  why I've created  "For Donald's Sake".

 

My husband has been a musician all of his life—we both have been.  We’ve shared years and years of performances together. That's actually how we met!  He was the drummer in one local band, and I the lead vocalist and songwriter in another.  It was a match made in heaven!  Throughout the years of our lives together, we have traveled many miles, performing at all sorts of venues and events.  We’ve performed for high ranking Government officials and well-known musical artists, in concert arenas large and small, written music together, and served in music ministries in local churches. 

 

In the early stages of the illness, I was simply amazed to see my husband still had the ability to play his beloved instrument, the drums.  That was very important "for him".  And although time has passed and the illness has progressed,  I find it fascinating that his rhythm is still perfectly in tact, witnessing him playing his drum beats on  furniture in our home, or especially on his chest; and he is simply content doing that.