Life with Big Al (Early Alzheimer's) A Caregivers Diary by Judy Seegmiller (2000-11-16)

This book by Judy Seegmiller has been selected as required reading for my Nursing Care of the Older Adult class for junior nursing students in a baccalaureate program. Mrs. Seegmiller has explained the daily lived experience of her husband's life and death with Alzheimer's Disease. Her journal entries allow the students to experience what it is like to be a caregiver of a loved one with a chronic and distructive condition. I have heard Mrs. Seemiller speak publically about her husband and his life and death at a young age from Alzheimers. It is a privelege to be able to read about and feel the intimacies of watching a loved one slip away.

"Life with Big Al" is a very touching and emotionally written book. Although I have not had to nor hope to experience the things that this dear wife and family did, I do believe that Judy's courage and devotion is a lesson for us all. Even though this book is about the struggles of Alzheimer's and a family dealing with it, I believe it also shows the triumph of Judy making it through not only Craig's suffering but her own. She is a remarkable woman who is now crusading to help others and providing inspiration to anyone who has extreme challenges in life to overcome. She has also been nominated as an Olympic Torch bearer for the 2002 Winter Games and has won the nomination.

As I began to read Life with Big Al, I was touched by the simplicity and straight forwardness of this human story of triumph and trajedy of hope and despair. Many tears were shed as I was drawn into Judy's and Craig's struggles with this insidious disease. I never knew Craig personally, but I can truly say I love that dear man after reading Judy's book. My heart was weighed down by their struggles and lifted up by their faith, but my mind screamed out at the injustice of a medical system that denied them the care they so fervently needed. We need to unite with Judy to fight this injustice and see that changes are made so no other families will be so neglected in times of such monumental human suffering. Judy, thank you for sharing your heart and Craig's story with me.

"Life With Big Al" is a must read for anyone who is a caregiver or involved with someone who has Alzheimers. It is the journal of a woman who served her best friend, her husband, as his memory and physical abilities were being taken from him by one of the most insidious diseases known.Her almost daily entries take you through the agony of watching someone you love slipping away from you and becoming like a child in an adult's body. She shares her feelings and pains which help other caregivers to realize they are not alone in their struggle. She shows you how to introduce humor and love to help in your daily battle with trying to keep moving and keep sane.My sister suffers from Alzheimers and has recently entered a care center. I read this book before traveling to visit her and found I was fairly comfortably prepared for what I found. My sister's husband, who had been her caregiver and worked with her through difficult times, read the book and said he could highlight many lines describing episodes and feelings during his struggle."Life With Big Al" is an honest, real world look at the workings and care of Alzheimers.