This blog is about life with my husband who was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's and Frontal Lobe Dementia in 2008. He was 64 at the time although now, knowing more about the disease, Alzheimer's was present many, many years ago, which is why early detection is so important. As you read the blog the character "Al" that I created in 2008, represents the way that Alzheimer's is invading our daily lives.
There is an archive tab further down the page that starts from the beginning of our journey.

Monday, July 1, 2024

A Plea from the heart

 Dear First Lady Jill Biden,

Please take this letter in the way it is intended, with the utmost respect and care from my heart.
As a wife of a late husband with both Frontal Lobe Dementia and Alzheimer’s that I cared for , for over ten years, I am asking you to please use your position to represent all caregivers by stopping the humiliation of the President of the United States of America on National TV… he is not well. You have an opportunity to step forward and demand that what appears to the world to be bordering on elder abuse, stop and change our world, for all caregivers and their loved ones.
Dear Mrs. Jill Biden,
Please Mrs. Biden, look at your husbands’ behaviors and his speech and step out of your denial … he is not well. It is not about politics anymore; it is about human dignity.
Dear Jill,
Woman to women, wife to wife, this is incredibly hard to go through, to watch and to manage. It hurts my heart and it must indeed hurt yours to see his inner struggles and apparent illness. I see the blank stare on his face, the need to be guided by the hand, the slurred speech, the confusion. I beg of you please do not allow this public display of vulnerability to continue, you and only you as his wife can stop it. HE IS NOT WELL.
I do not know what limitations he has, I am not a medical professional.
These are my thoughts and opinions, as wife of a late husband with Frontal Lobe dementia and Alzheimers disease. Feel free to share.
Sheri Zschocher Sanasac

Thursday, July 6, 2023

Still Living in the Shadow of Alzheimers

 As part of Sheri's doctors therapy plan, Sheri has gone back to the beginning of her blog and is reading it out loud ... Sheri is learning so much about herself.

Sheri is pausing, praising and praying. 


Thursday, June 1, 2023

Still living in the shadow the Alzheimers

 It has been 5 years since Bob's passing, but Sheri is learning the hard way that just because "Al" is gone does mean that all is well. Sheri is learning that the coping skills of day-to-day life that she used for all those years to survive, are not necessarily serving her well now. How does one change? How do you undo the desperate inner need to keep all plates spinning at warp speed, to prevent the possibility of failure, of life crashing down all around you. Especially if that fear no longer exists.

Sheri needs to pause, praise and pray.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Living in the shadow of Alzheimer's

Sheri is still tripping over the shadow of Alzheimer's. She has tried running from it, ignoring it, pretending it didn't exist, and of course her old stand by of laughing at it. She knows she just needs to embrace it but it is so hard, because at the end of each day as the sun sets, the harsh shadows come back, but as she reaches for the shadow... it fades away.
Sheri needs to pause, praise and pray.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Living in the Shadow of Alzheimers

Sheri is still working on finding herself, and finding joy. Miss Elsie Rose turned one year old on Dec 30th..Sheri made a sock monkey out of Bob and "Äls" socks with a touch of Bob's flannel shirt, as her gift. Sheri definitely found the joy part. :)


Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Living in the Shadow of Alzheimer's

Sheri is still working on finding herself. Last week she found herself taking Sir Cooper on his first Air plane flight to San Antonio Texas for her Fathers 86th birthday. They had a great visit, and as usual Sir Cooper was the star of the show..
" The Adventures of Sir Cooper and the Wandering Widow" :)










Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Living in the Shadow of Alzheimer's

Sheri was invited to be a part of an Alzheimer's Caregiver Advisory Board in Washington DC this past weekend. This was way, way out side her comfort zone, but she put on her big girl pants and went! Sheri felt a little like a fish out of water to be included with some very well known authors and people very involved in the Alzheimer's world. Everyone there embraced her, and valued what she had to contribute, giving her a confidence in having shared her journey with Bob and '"Al".
Sheri felt very honored to have been asked to this event.
God is good, all the time.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Living in the Shadow of Alzheimers

Sheri keeps having dreams with a reoccurring theme. In the dream/nightmare "Äl" is driving after Bob's license to drive was taken away. Sheri is in the car and is begging "them" to pull over. Sheri thinks even though it has been almost 1 1/12 years since Bob passed away, and years and years since they pulled his license, Sheri is experience some of the true fears she had during those years when survival mode was her mode of operation.
Sheri still needs to pause, praise, and pray.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Living in the Shadow of Alzheimers

Sheri is still searching for self.

Isaiah 41:10 10So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Living without Bob and "Al"

Sheri is having a hard time accepting that it has been a year today since Bob and Al became one again, rejoicing with Lord. She is sure he is singing in the heavenly choir.
Sheri needs to pause, praise and pray.