As you may have read in my recent columns, I have had a good life. However, in October 2013, I had a brain scan which indicated a potential problem with my brain. I didn’t take this too seriously, but I did recognize that the results of the scan do indicate that the end of my life is due sometime. My genetics do indicate that I should live to be at least 90 years old if I take care of myself.
Each year, I look back to see how I am doing. As I normally do, I start a new year with a summary of the last year and my resolutions for the coming year. 2023 was difficult for me from a health standpoint – cancer, dementia and an autoimmune, dermatomyositis (DM), still resident in my body. I haven’t given up to these diseases but it is a bit of a struggle.
I am still on some serious medications to fight against cancer (melanoma), autoimmune disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment due to AD (dementia – no medications – just lifestyle). That sounds like a lot of medical issues and it is.
In 2023, I finished my book entitled My Voyage with Dementia, and I included my trials and tribulations with DM as well as dementia in this book. The 180-page book took more than a year to put together. I am quite proud with its publication and have printed 352 books, approximately 270 of which have been distributed to those who are or may be interested in dementia.
The “Seven Pillars for a Healthy Life” was a strong focus for the book. I incurred all editorial and printing costs, except for distribution costs.
The book has three purposes:
– to show those involved with dementia that it is permissible to discuss the topic in the public – there is no stigma to having dementia. It is better to discuss the topic than ignore than ignore it;
– to better understand the dementia that I have as per my brain scan. As I wrote the book, I became more and more aware of the subject and its growth in Ontario – 325,000 have dementia in Ontario; and
– to set out a dementia plan for myself and others that may be diagnosed with a dementia.
In 2022, I felt like I was setting New Year’s resolutions for 2023, with best of intentions, but my best intentions have fallen apart. What feedback I have had has been positive, but there has been very little. There has been little feedback from the 270 books that I have printed and circulated to many people in the southwest Huron geography. I gave readers an email to correspond to me, but few responses.
In 2023, with my book in hand, I really thought that it would make a difference to those involved with dementia. After all, no one to my knowledge has written a book about themselves dealing with this subject, The book was about me and my experiences over 62 months, on a month-by- month basis. It was my story, health-wise, from November 2017 to December 2022. But it wasn’t successful. I wondered if many had read it. The prime attention was to draw attention to dementia and its growth.
So, in 2024, I am going to write about my experiences with dementia and autoimmune disease in 2023. That will be another 12 chapters – one month per chapter – added to my previous book. Different cover, but same style insides. Maybe my writing has improved. Finishing to date may be worthwhile. The book ends in December 2023. Perhaps I should write through to the end of 2024. In my next column, I will give my New Year’s Resolutions for 2024 – one of them is to live to 2025 and to keep writing.
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Bob Murray is retired from the graphic communication industry, living in Seaforth, and was diagnosed with Dementia in 2013. Follow his blog – https://myvoyage553264702.wordpress.com.
