An except written by Joe as he navigated his Nonna's Alzheimer's:
"John visits Nonna and Grandad every Thursday to give Grandad a break. During this time John does crafts and activities with his Nonna to keep her occupied and keep her mind active.
He hates arriving. Arriving means hoping. And hoping, in this instance, means disappointment. Disappointment because there is no recognition in her eyes. He knows that she knows she should know him but she doesn't. She remembers only the man she's been married to for over 50 years. Everyone else is just a kind stranger who has come to visit. Even her children are forgotten. They fade into the deepest recesses of her mind.
John hates leaving. Leaving means forgetting. Nonna will not remember what they've done today. She doesn't remember his name. Or his face. Or his voice. John is not the same.
John knows that he will always remember his Nonna. Everything about her will be embedded in his mind until the day he dies."
