This is one of those posts that is so exciting to get to write but also a little terrifying, so bear with me.
Early last spring, when I knew Mitzi’s significant decline was not just a temporary setback, I started exploring how my experience with dementia caregiving, Mitzi’s journey, and my background in communications could all be merged into a way to move forward once she was no longer confined to this earth and carrying the chains of Alzheimer’s.
It was such an encouragement to see this blog grow and know that others were benefitting from hearing about our adventures together. It was always important to Mitzi that we show the world that Alzheimer’s doesn’t have to mean isolation and loneliness. It was her most sincere wish to me that I help use her voice to raise awareness about living with dementia, especially Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, in the hopes of allowing people to understand it better. I so hope I have been able to stay true to that for her.
In the nearly 6 months since Mitzi died, I have been working on putting together a way to honor my sweet friend’s wish, and am thrilled to see how all of the puzzle pieces are beginning to come together to make the vision I had last spring become a reality.
I have begun a third section in the book I’m writing and that section is titled “Moving Forward For Mitzi.” Taking what I learned from that beautiful and life-changing experience with her, I’m launching a video project that will allow me to help capture more stories of those living with dementia before the disease does its best to try and erase them. There are so many amazing stories out there because, I believe, each person is amazing. We can all learn so much from what this disease brings out in people and those caring for them and loving them. Some of it is good. Some of it is hard. But all of it has value and is worthy of being shared.
So why am I writing?
Every time I meet with someone to talk about this video project, the question arises of how am I funding it. My answer has always been, “Out of the goodness of my heart.” The reality, though, is that I’m beginning to get more and more requests to do these interview stories, many of which aren’t local. So travel time and costs are a factor. As is getting my website and YouTube channel up and running. Most critically, I have a new camera that records in very high quality HD video, but older computer equipment that can’t shoulder the weight of the high quality footage. It makes the process cumbersome and slow. A new computer to handle the amount of editing I’m starting to do is about $2500. The updated software is also expensive. I was planning on slowly saving for new equipment, and traveling when I can afford it, but a wonderful opportunity is in the works that has the potential to catapult this project in the fall and that has sped up my time frame.
If you’ve read this so far, thank you! I know it’s long. Now here is what I need…
I’m asking for you to help me in any one of the following ways (and anyone who knows me knows I don’t take asking for help lightly!):
• Pray for me and this project (or if you’re a “send good thoughts” person, I’ll take those as well!). Seriously. I feel like I have been called and uniquely qualified to do this, and I don’t take that commissioning lightly.
• Contact me if you have a story to share. You don’t have to be living with dementia. If you had a loved one who had it, or are currently caring for someone living with with it, I’d love to talk to you about sharing your stories and experiences. If you know someone who might have a story to share, please send this along.
• Take the time to share this website. My experiences with Mitzi will still be a feature here, but I know Mitzi would whole-heartedly give her blessing in sharing the stage if it would help others. You never know who might benefit from what is shared on this page. It’s so much more than just the story of someone who had Alzheimer’s and her tall sidekick.
• Lastly, I need your help in encouraging and cheerleading those who have the courage to trust me with their stories. Like Kelly, pictured with me last week when I drove 4.5 hours (each way) to interview her for 1.5 hours. Her Alzheimer’s story is incredible. And I was so honored to be able to meet her in person and capture it. When I post these stories, please join me in lifting these people up. As Mitzi taught me, having a positive approach to this disease is so vital.
I cannot wait to see where all this is leading. But I have known without a doubt for a long time that there was a greater purpose to my time with Mitzi. The opportunities coming up do not change how devastating it was for the world to lose her to Alzheimer’s at 58. I hope, though, in some small way, my efforts will help redeem some of what she went through to use it for good.
