About the Author
Scott and I met on a blind date on July 3, 1990, although neither one of us thought we would be meeting the love of our lives. But we did! As I sat in the restaurant’s bar with my back to Scott responding to someone else’s question, all of a sudden I felt his arms wrap around my body giving me a feeling of total love and complete comfort. Although this was an intense clairvoyant feeling, I have never forgotten how I felt and how it gave me hope for our future.
Each of us brought a son into our new family of four and it certainly wasn’t easy raising either during the teenage years. Little did we know that in 2007 Scott’s heart was about to die. Without a heart transplant, he would not have survived. After receiving a donor heart on September 3, 2007, our lives seemed to be getting back to normal. But what we thought was a little bug or a simple pneumonia turned out to be aspergillus pneumonia, a deadly disease for anyone who is immunocompromised. His will to live kept him alive through each of these debilitating diseases.
In 2015, Scott was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We were both devastated and heartbroken, as we knew this would not end well. Becoming a caregiver for someone with any dementia is totally different than caring for a person not losing their mind. It takes a lot of self-talk to try to do better the next time, a lot of support from others going through the same thing, and a lot of strength, love and compassion that is necessary as you care for your loved one. I was not perfect and I blew it many a time, but my love for Scott kept me moving forward each day as I looked for humor and joy when either of us was feeling down.
Our story was written mainly to help other caregivers find the help and support needed while their world is falling apart. So if this book helps you find the support you need, reminds you that you are not alone, and gets you thinking more positively, then I will be thankful to have been a little part of your journey.
Not a caregiver? This book will give you a new awareness and respect for all caregivers. So remember that when that person you meet seems angry or sad, it’s not about you, but about whatever it is that person is going through. A smile or kind word can change their outlook and make their day.
Love and blessings, Julie
Julie Annette Bennett currently facilitates two Alzheimer’s support groups, zooms with a meditation class, and is planning to finish a novel she began many years ago. She has two sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren and lives in Santa Rosa, California.
