I am a deeply spiritual person with a solid and resounding faith in God. Throughout all of the challenges over the past five years, I have never felt that any of us were being forsaken. I have known that God is there with us each step of the way. As I lay here in bed trying to shut my brain down so …
DRIVING AND DEMENTIA
People often ask questions that are indicative of how they believe Rich is functioning. "He is still driving?" some ask with an incredulous tone in their voice. "How can he still drive?" The ability to drive safely is a product of several different functions working together: Intelligence; …
DON’T KILL HIM TODAY… KILL HIM TOMORROW… or “The Angel Named Sam at the Nye County Sheriff’s Department”
My grandmother used to say that my father lived to adulthood because she constantly went by the motto "don't kill him today... kill him tomorrow." So before you get concerned that I am of homocidal intent, take a minute to read this short background piece: …
FTD – “It’s All About Me”
I've been sitting here contemplating why I haven't written anything for the blog in awhile. I realized it is because Rich has been writing so much and I'm happy about that. I think it's good for him to write about FTD. He has something to contribute to this horrid world of Frontotemporal …
POST BY RICH: GRATITUDE
Despite the tragedy of FTD and the impact it has on my family and me, I try to feel "gratitude." I'm speaking to anyone with FTD out there that might be reading this blog. You, as an FTD'er, may be asking yourself, "what in the world do I have to be grateful for? I've been struck by a horrible …
POST BY RICH – TURN IN THE ROAD
While on my morning exercise/meditation walk the other day, I was listening to country singer, Steve Wariner. He was singing a song entitled, "Turn In The Road." I was caught by the chorus of his song. As I listened to the song, I felt that it applied to my family's FTD situation. It reinforced …
POST BY RICH: BATTLING FTD
What does the Battle of Thermopylae (ther-mop-i-lee), in 480 B.C., have to do with FTD? I'll tell you, but understand that this is from my perspective only. For 32 years I was an attorney before I was forced to retire because of the impact the FTD was having on my work. For approximately the last …
POST BY RICH: Blazing the Inferno
Yesterday was a horrible emotional day. (It is so odd for me to share such personal feelings. All of my life, I have been very, very careful to protect my privacy, especially any mental health issues. Now, I openly share these subjects. My wife, Patty, said, by doing so, I may be able to help …
THE WAY IT IS
The Way It Is There's a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn't change. People wonder about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread. But it is hard for others to see. While you hold it you can't get lost. Tragedies happen; people get hurt or die; and …
POST BY RICH: FTD – THE LOSS OF LOVED ONES
This morning, during my daily walk, I was thinking about how the victims of FTD start to "disappear," (i.e., they lose their personalities, beings, and souls - they lose the essence of what makes them, them). Their families "lose" them. All of a sudden, it hit me. I, as a victim of FTD, am losing …