He Was: Alzheimer's was his battle. It was not who He Was.

Mr. Carlin. You have Alzheimers disease.Almost six million people in the U.S. are suffering with Alzheimers disease. As a child spouse loved one or care-giver you see them deteriorate into a shell of their former self. As their mind weakens your heart breaks. But theres strength and hope to be found in the experiences of others. You will find yourself in the details of this familys journey.In 2013 Ronald Carlin stepped onto the battlefield when his enemy became too prevalent to deny. His wife Donna and his daughters Denise and Julie were by his side. Armed with faith love and a desire to live they locked hands and hearts and fought together. It was a family affair because this group of four and their husbands and children all did life together. They met this disease face-on knowing that one of them would not survive.Unrelenting. Irreversible. Alzheimers proved to be a formidable opponent. It required the family to educate themselves have patience and to be strong even when they were weary.The author tells the story of their experience with emotion and transparency. Its an ugly disease and it affects everyone involved in different ways. She explores the stages of Alzheimers and the stages of grief; illustrating how one does not exist without the other on this journey. In the new ever-changing world you must keep up and keep going.Intertwined among the doctor visits and new realities you find Ronnie Carlin. He was a smart man who loved to laugh and never turned down ice cream. He loved oldies rock-n-roll music and Cajun jokes. He was brave and relentless in his resolve to continue being an independent man. Even after his freedom was cruelly stripped from him he continued wanting to serve others. Asking him to help rather than telling him what to do proved to be the best way to get him to cooperate.He loved his family until the day he died. His heart stayed strong long after his mind faded. The image used for the cover of the book an MRI taken nine-months before his death is an image of who he was in his innermost being.A certified public accountant by trade he loved doing taxes and taught accounting courses at a local college for many years. An outdoors man by nature he spent Saturdays at his camp a place he considered paradise full of pine trees deer and palmetto bushes. His pond stocked with bass and home to two wood-duck boxes was his favorite place on earth. The Carlin Killin Time Ranch played a pivotal role in his journey not once but twice. Lastly and most importantly he was a Godly man by grace. He loved the Lord and his church. He prayed for healing and understanding. As his disease progressed his blessings over meals changed from thanking God for the food to conversations with his Father about people at the table and the days activities. Amen became talk to you later. Formality dissipated along with his mind but his loving relationship with God never diminished. He Was so many things. He was a son a brother a husband a father a grandfather an accountant a gardener a drummer a jitter-bugger and so much more.He Was is a memoir of this fathers journey written from a daughters heart. It does something that Alzheimers and dementia attempted to erase. It reminds the reader Alzheimers was his battle. It was not who He Was.