Alzheimer’S Journal: Vivid Romanian Scholar Didn’T Regret Losing His Hear

When all would fade into darkness, when Alzheimer’s overtook him, he didn’t endure because he never realized he’d lost anything. If anything, Alzheimer’s really made him happier.

By Marie Marley

equally were many Europeans of his generation Alzheimer’s Journal: Brilliant Romanaian Scholar Didn’t Regret Losing His Mind

Dr. Edward Theodoru

Ed had been a truthful Renaissance man, equally were many Europeans of his generation, only he stood out alongside them because his retentiveness was phenomenal. It was his most distinguishing feature. He remembered everything he read, heard or saw. It was that simple.

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We oftentimes refer to such people equally "walking encyclopedias," only Ed was far more. Ed was a walking library.

Many times when my friends as well as I had academic discussions we’d larn stumped past times some query or other. I’d ever say, “Let’s telephone phone Ed. He’ll know.” And he did. Every time.

I was ever then proud that my Ed could delve into that stunning retentiveness as well as inside seconds retrieve the answers to our ridiculously obscure questions. He would eagerly shout out them out equally though on a TV game show, where the start contestant to reply correctly won.

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Ed was cosmopolitan, too. He knew then many languages. In improver to his native Romanian, he spoke English, French as well as High German fluently, as well as he read Italian, Spanish, Latin, as well as Russian. Most highly educated people know multiple languages, of course, as well as Ed was no exception.

What was nearly unbelievable, however, was that fifty-fifty when he developed dementia he could silent speak Romanian, English, French as well as German. He couldn’t recall if he had had lunch, didn’t ever know if it was twenty-four sixty minutes menses or night, couldn’t necktie his shoes, couldn’t beak on the phone. But he could easily converse inward those languages.

Ed had received a classic European educational activity inward Bucharest as well as later earned a constabulary marking there. He became a tenacious defence attorney, racking upward an astounding number of acquittals for his clients.

Then he changed his professional person focus to literature as well as philosophy, as well as studied farther inward French Republic as well as the United States. He had read nearly all 1,200 books inward his personal library -- “plus,” equally he i time said to a friend admiring his collection, “a few more.” The "few more" were, inward fact, "hunnerds" if non "tousands" more.

His 1973 doctorate from the University of Cincinnati was inward Romance Languages as well as Literature, which required a thorough noesis non alone of French literature, only also comparative literature, literary theory, literary criticism as well as other related areas.

It seemed that when I arrived to see he was ever hunched over his kitchen table, smoking a cigarette, land deeply immersed inward a thick mass inward i linguistic communication or some other almost those real topics.

His noesis as well as scholarly interests didn’t halt with literature as well as philosophy. He was incredibly good versed inward many other areas equally well, including music, art, architecture, history, as well as – most of all – electrical current globe events.

He’d routinely tell me almost events -- fifty-fifty those of piddling or no importance -- that had happened that morning time inward some tiny province I couldn’t fifty-fifty detect on a map.

Though Ed’s unshakable retentiveness as well as vast fund of noesis were amazing, his encephalon was far to a greater extent than than a mere repository for facts as well as figures. He could create things with the noesis he possessed.

He could analyze complex philosophical issues as well as discern subtle differences betwixt like industrial plant of art. He could fighting controversial literary theories, as well as distinguish betwixt the marrow of an number as well as the fluff. He could synthesize voluminous amounts of data as well as larn to the bottom of it, distilling it to what was genuinely significant.

But all that would fade into darkness when Alzheimer’s overtook him. Fortunately, he didn’t endure because he never realized he’d lost anything. If anything, Alzheimer’s really made him happier.

When I arrived to see him at the nursing habitation i day, he was inward the TV room sitting on a folding chair playing balloon volleyball with Fred as well as 2 woman individual residents I didn’t know.

I never idea I’d encounter the twenty-four sixty minutes menses when Dr. Edward Theodoru would participate inward whatsoever sort of sport. Nor would anyone else who ever knew him.

Not wanting to disrupt Ed’s activity, I sat on the flooring beside him to watch. He was really quite good. Of the 4 residents playing, he was the most coordinated as well as most enthusiastic.

Joan, i of the home's precious aides, was directing the game. Every fourth dimension the large yellowish balloon went flight toward Ed, he got a determined await on his face, joined his hands together as well as stretched out his arms. When the balloon got inside striking arrive at he striking it, or "beat it," equally he said, sending it flight across the room.

Twice he striking it then difficult it hurtled into the hallway.

“Good job, Ed!” Joan shouted, dashing out to larn the balloon. “Extra points for you!”

“Oh. Marvelous!” he said. “Throw it hither as well as I’ll crunch it again.”

My pump ached seeing Ed then elated, sitting inward a nursing habitation batting closed to a balloon. Just a twelvemonth earlier he would convey spit on anyone who dared advise he engage inward that type of game -- or whatsoever game, for that matter.

But I realized that, by as well as large speaking, he was a lot happier than I’d seen him inward years. That idea brought me comfort equally he striking the balloon into the hall again, some other large grin on his face.

Come Back Early Today:
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Marie Marley, PhD, was a caregiver for Dr. Edward Theodoru, her delightfully colorful, wickedly eccentric Romanaian soul mate, for 7 years. After he passed away inward 2007, she wrote an award-winning mass almost their relationship, Come Back Early Today: H5N1 Story of Love, Alzheimer’s as well as Joy. In the course of written report of narrating their 30-year beloved story, Marie illustrates the solutions she institute to 14 dissimilar issues that typically arise when loving as well as caring for someone with dementia. You tin see Marie’s website which contains a wealth of data almost caregiving at ComeBackEarlyToday.