Put That Knife Away

Dr Palm is a licensed psychologist who has written a book about how Alzheimer's disease can affect a marriage. Most books on the market do not focus primarily on the spousal relationship and how it changes. This one does. This book speaks of the changes we have made to continue to have as full a life as possible under challengingly unpredictable situations. It makes a strong argument for seeing a neurologist who specialises in dementia when you first suspect that something may be amiss. Too many of us, the author included, put off having ourselves or loved ones evaluated for progressive memory loss because we fear the diagnosis. The love that holds us together through all kinds of difficulties and stress in a marriage blinds us at the same time to recognising the symptoms of serious illness. It frightens us so to imagine the worst. This is a serious mistake. There is no cure for this terrible illness but there are medications available that can slow the process for about two years.