Journal

GloriaV

I have never journal before. I thought I would start. I am thinking it will give me a way to get my thoughts out. Does anyone else do this?

JulietteBee

I journal, not perse to chronicle my thoughts. I journal because I love to write. My journals are more along the lines of creative writing regarding life in general.

If you enjoy writing, you should give Journaling a go. Yours could be written more like a "Dear Diary."

Have fun!

H1235

I don’t know if it’s really journaling. But I write things down what has happen. It’s more for a record. For some reason I feel like I might want to know when various things have happened. I sometimes include my emotions, but not always. I have occasionally looked back at it and wondered how I ever got through it.

ARIL

My most helpful period of journaling-type activity was when I was traveling interstate every four to six weeks to assist my PWD. I would be there for two or three days at a time. I worked constantly, but there was never enough time to accomplish everything—mainly because the situation was impossible, but that is a different story.

My spouse encouraged me to write down my successes every day and send them to him by text. The daily lists were impressive, and I could hardly believe I had done so much. Writing down what I did—including investing time in talking or taking a walk or a drive with my PWD—helped me feel useful rather than constantly defeated.

Arrowhead

I started keeping a journal about six months after my wife was diagnosed, and I'm glad I did. Over the nine years since, I have recorded the pains and the pleasures; the sad and the glad; the serious and the humorous; the problems and how they were overcome. It's helped me keep track of her digression and to answer question that medical pros, family, and friends often as. I also keep a list of the most pivotal moments. It's been good for me.

Ronk246

I have two close friends I keep current on my DW's experiences with dementia via email. I file all those emails in the same place. Three and a half years in, I haven't felt the need to go back over them, but someday I may be happy I have them.

Maru

I keep two journals. One kind is in a simple notebook and I record the changes that I see in my DH. The other one is really a prayer journal…more of an open letter to God. Everything goes in that one. Over the years I have found that a great place to express freely and without judgement from anyone how I feel about things…the good, the bad, the ugly…all become part of that. Now, that we are dealing with ALZ, I have a lot to talk about, to cry over, to pray about.