When It Gets Dark: An Enlightened Reflection on
Life with Alzheimer’s
by Thomas DeBaggio is a poignant account of a man’s efforts to retain a part of
his memory in the face of Alzheimer’s Dementia. Thomas DeBaggio was diagnosed
with Alzheimer’s, a progressive disorder which leads to loss of memory.  The
short term memory is affected first and then the longer term memory too. In
this book, the author tries to recollect his past life, partly helped by his
wife, son and a few other relatives and close friends.

 Since the author was a gardener all his adult
life, he describes that part of his life in considerable detail. The actual
symptoms or problems of Alzheimer’s are given rather briefly, that too towards
the end of the book. The book is interspersed with short paragraphs full of
despair, self-pity etc., which is to be expected in a patient who has been
given a slow but sure sentence of mental death, since loss of memory is a
mental death.

  The narration is gripping and moving at
places, especially on pages 179 and 180. It gives a fairly good portrayal of
the anxieties, fears and despairs of a sufferer.   However, if you are looking
at a medical description of the disease, treatment options etc., you will need to
look elsewhere.

© 2005 S. V. Swamy

S. V. Swamy, India.

Categories: Memoirs