Traumatizing Linda: Riding Cumulative Psychic Shocks into Dementia and Alzheimer’s

In this deeply moving memoir, a husband reflects on his life with his beloved wife, Linda, whose battle with Alzheimer’s ended their 62-year journey together. As he revisits their shared history, he confronts several traumas that shaped Linda’s life, from the tragic death of her father when she was six to the emotional abuse inflicted by her mother. These events, compounded by the three consecutive traumatic shocks she suffered during the nineties, he believes caused her descent into deep depression, anxiety, and a dementia that ultimately claimed her life.

With unflinching honesty, the author examines his own role in Linda’s life, acknowledging both the love they shared and the ways in which he may have added to her pain. Through this exploration of memory, grief, and love, he offers a poignant tribute to Linda while grappling with the mysteries of the mind and the enduring impact of trauma. This memoir is a testament to the power of love and the complexities of the human experience.