In January 2013, Tio Stib lost his sight and his wife began losing her mind. He was blind and she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Suddenly, the adventurous life they’d enjoyed became a dramatically different journey. Mostly as a way to cope, Tio began to blog, using prose and poetry to describe their altered path in life. His blog posts evolved into this book.
“My Dementia Diary” is Tio’s recounting of the seven year journey that followed, a story sometimes humorous, often poignant, and always intimate, the story of how a blind man became the sole caregiver for his wife with her deteriorating dementia.
This is a story about adapting to adversity, about the devastating impact of dementia, about marriage, commitment, and faith.
Above all, “My Dementia Diary” is a story about the power of love.
No way, I thought, this can’t be happening to us. Like millions of others facing the news that a loved one has dementia, I denied it. But my wife’s dementia was painfully real and I felt utterly helpless and alone.
I was saved by love. I was saved by the boundless kindness of good people who cared for us in our times of need and by the unwavering joy for life my wife shared even as her mind faded away.
My hope is our story will bring similar solace to you.
Tio Stib
Travels with Tio 