[photo courtesy of the Estate of Carl Smith]

“Just a Couple of Old People Holding Hands”:
A Memoir of a Marriage in Alzheimer’s World

By Carl R. Smith, Jr.
Edited by William C. Smith

Post Three – One of the Sad Sides of Alzheimer’s

Slowly but inexorably, Alzheimer’s Disease steals away the ability to speak. But emotions remain, even though no longer expressed in words.

At the time of the following journal entries, Mary Helen’s speech was essentially gone — aside from an occasional, and often unreliable, “yes” or “no” response to a simple question.

Still, Mary Helen made her wordless feelings known to Carl. She smiled. She laughed. She sighed. She wept.

And Carl listened, and wrote.  Read more here…