Nothing Left to Burn — Karen Hutchins Pirnot

"Where is our house?" Those four words alerted me to a problem that would dramatically change my husband's life as well as my own. Being a Clinical Psycholigist, I recognized early on the initial synptoms of Alzheimer's desease. I began to journal my experiences; thus the genesis for this book. Readers will learn how early mental "slips" are but the precursor to a disease which pummels the brain and shreds its connections. Few people understand that the very nature of the brain destruction takes the loved one away from the caregiver long before the body succumbs to death. I struggled to let go of the man I married while, at the same time, commit my energy and services to a man I no longer knew. NOTHING LEFT TO BURN vividly and graphically uses dialogue to demonstrate the withering away of Charlie. He taught doctoral students at major universities. While most friends and family will tell the caregiver to "Be sure to take care of yourself now," most have no clue as to how subtly Alzheimer's disease sucks in the caregiver and strips him or her of most all other identities. Most caregivers have little comprehension of the decisions we must make to save ourselves while maintaining our devotion to our spouses. NOTHING LEFT TO BURN is based on a true story which will eventually have a resolution. For now, it is my wish to help others find an understanding of the day-to-day reality of the disease and to aid potential caregivers in making informed decisions regarding their own wellbeing.