Just read the book

3/4/12 -

Marie and Michelle,

I just completed reading your book. Thank you for sharing your journey with Bob. My wife Sandy developed FTD in 2007 age 58 (first symptoms we noticed). Along with  FTD Sandy also developed ALS which I understand can happen rarely. Sandy died July 14, 2010.

Your descriptions of the events, feelings and coping were so much like the road we traveled with Sandy. My daughter and I became each other's rock then and now as we grieve our loss of such a wonderful wife and mother at so young an age.

I appreciated your concept of the "Old Bob" and the "New Bob" and the fact the this terrible disease effects are behavioral as opposed to memory loss etc that so many associate with dementia. Also your comments on even the medical community not fully grasping the disease at first as they have difficulty understanding dementia in a younger person.

Sandy did not have to be placed in a care facility but that was definitely on the horizon. The ALS developed and Sandy died at home under hospice care. I am thankful I did not have to go through what you did in having to move Bob away from home. Reading that was heart wrenching.

I also experienced Sandy not dying until I left her bedside.Just like Bob, Sandy  would not go until my daughter, Beth, said "Dad you have to leave and go to another room so Mom will go" I did and Sandy left us 10 minutes later.

Thank you for writing this book that expresses so clearly what FTD is and the journey that must be traveled if it enters our lives.

May God bless you and your family,

Mark H

Wonderful Story

8/31/2011 -

I read (An ) Evolution of Love. I wanted to say what a wonderful story. My father also has FTD and it is very hard. I don't know how you guys dealt with such a tragic thing.

Kris

Added to ADEAR Center's Online Database!

6/24/2011

Hello Michelle and Marie,

This is to let you know a preliminary database record has been cataloged of your book, “An Evolution of Love,” in the ADEAR Center’s database. You can search for it online at http://adlib.alzheimers.org/adear/alzdb/fullrec.aspx?id=11866. This book is in a batch of items that will go to our abstractor in 4 weeks, and she will write an abstract, select audience codes and subject codes.

Thank you very much for sending ADEAR a copy of your book. We greatly appreciate having a copy for our online database viewers.  It is a moving account of your family’s personal experience caring for Bob as he went through this debilitating disease, and good to see that you have included some special memories of life with him before FTD struck.

Warm regards,

Trammell Maury, Librarian

NIA ADEAR Center /Project/JBS International, Inc.

Loved Your Book

5/4/2011

Michelle,

I loved the book and was so grateful that I found it on Amazon. I bought it yesterday and read it last night.

Thank you so much for writing to me. I truly appreciate it and sometimes I feel so alone in this journey.

Debbie

Seeking Support

4/26/2011

I just found your book online and will be purchasing it. My husband is 45 and is being “watched” for bvFTD. This is by far the most isolating and difficult thing that I have ever experienced. Our family doesn’t understand, we don’t have kids and he has pushed everyone away, this leaves his care to me. I am desperately seeking ways to network and stay sane. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated…Thanks so much for your time and I have so much respect for you. Alison

An Evolution of Love

3/19/2011

Hello Marie, Unfortunately my 60 year old husband has finally been diagnosed. I have had your book for several months and want you to know that your Bob and my husband (and our families) have followed the exact same path to this terrible disease.

I want to thank you for writing this very informative book. I have several books on FTD but none have helped me to understand what was happening to my husband like your book.

I pray everyday that my husband will not suffer the many terrible indignities that this disease could bring. As much as I already miss him, I do not want him to suffer.

Again, thank you. Thelma

Your book

2/4/2011

Greetings, I belong to the North Penn Area Support Group for Alzheimer's. My husband was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's then Aphasia, then Frontal lobe Dementia.

Your book was a total inspiration to me. I cried because I know how you felt in so many situations. Behaviour is really a problem with my husband and also he cannot process any language, He can not understand anything that I say and he can only say one phrase. I have no idea what that phrase means because he says it for everything.

I read the book in one day, and totally understood your feelings. You and your daughter were wonderful caregivers and I so admire you.

Once again thank you for writing the book and God Bless You and your daughter.