Author: Jerry Schill

Words such as dementia and Alzheimer’s were not as prevalent years ago as they are today. Perhaps the condition was present, but referred to by different names, like senility. No matter how you describe it, most every family is touched by this disease and feels the effects, made more real perhaps by how long we live today versus 75 years ago.

Over the next several months I’ll be writing about our family’s experiences with what I call the dementia journey. Please understand that I’m writing as one who has experienced it as the primary caregiver for my wife–not as a medical expert. One may have different experiences of course, but what I write isn’t from a perspective of what’s right– just our journey and how I have handled it.

For a little perspective, Pam and I dated in high school and were married in 1968, 56 years ago. My first tour of duty for the Air Force was in Peshawar, Pakistan, as an enlisted airman, proficient in my second language, Morse Code. After 15 months in the Northwest Frontier of what was then called West Pakistan, Pam and I were married, and she accompanied me to my next assignment in Anchorage, Alaska, at Elmendorf Air Force Base. After 4 years of active duty, I was discharged, and we returned home to Pennsylvania with our one-year-old son.

We moved to North Carolina on Labor Day, 1984, and I immediately became active in politics, volunteering for the campaigns of Jesse Helms and Jim Martin. Shortly after that, I became a candidate myself for the North Carolina state senate. My opponent was attorney Bill Barker, and he was the victor. Shortly thereafter, I began my long stint with the North Carolina Fisheries Association, while Pam was a licensed insurance agent for the Tom Cox Nationwide Agency. She was with Tom for 20 years, most of that time as the Office Manager, meaning her mental acuity was sharp as a tack.

I offer this background material because I think it’s important to understand our journey, which is at the ten-year mark.

I’ll continue this blog post next year, so I’ll take this opportunity to offer you and yours a very Merry Christmas on behalf of Pam and myself.