Rusty's War

This is the heart-wrenching story of the author's mother, diagnosed with the fatal brain disorder---Alzheimer's. Together, she, and her eight-year-old dachshund, Rusty, confront the harrowing challenges of this powerful degenerative disease, in near total anonymity as they shut themselves off from the outside world. For two long years after diagnosis, they lived in solitude, until circumstances dictated a different approach. Even round-the-clock care didn't prevent a horrific incident that nearly cost both mom and dog their lives---the instigator of the incident surprised everyone. Mom and dog eventually move in with her son---it didn't take long before the son realized he was in way over his head---it's ugly, brutal, and costly for both the sufferer and the caregiver. Nothing prepares an outsider for a front row seat to a brain disorder that destroys all memories and loss of control of many bodily functions. When she moved in with us, it didn't take long to realize Mom had a different symphony playing in her head, it's rhythm so disjointed you couldn't understand the melody or lyrics.