Rating: 
Summary: Opening Our Eyes
Review: "Losing My Mind" is a well-written book authored by an ex-journalist gone herb-grower who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of fifty-seven in 1999. The book is a personal account of one man's struggle with dementia accompanied by an autobiography. Along with these two themes, Mr. DeBaggio inserts clippings from his own research on the disease in every few pages.
This is a great read for anyone who would like to venture into the mind of someone suffering from Alzheimer's. But be warned, the book does not contain any sparks of hope or messages of positive thinking. Readers are likely to become sad and feel slightly depressed from this book that is probably meant to "share some grief." The book is a sincere , raw and from the heart look at a frightening disease that will most likely affect even more Americans as the "Baby-boomer" generation embarks on its golden years.
This book is a must for anyone who has a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. It provides insight into the moods, fears and anger of those suffering from it; this is especially important for families who have trouble getting their loved ones to open up and share what they're going through.
I salute Mr. DeBaggio for having the courage to share his inner-most feelings with all those interested in learning more about this insidious disease. May his fear abate and his arms embrace the love that his family is giving him.
Rating:
Summary: A Touching Story!
Review: A wonderful book and touching story that can be compared to "Elegy for Iris" Very nicely written too!
Also highly recommended on Alzheimer's disease: "Decoding Darkness" by R.E.Tanzi and A.B.Parson
Rating: 
Summary: Who Are You Without Your Memory--??
Review: As a child of an Alzheimer's parent, I was anxious to attempt to understand what my mother had possibly experienced.
Alzheimer's consumed her memory and idenity.
Thomas DeBaggio opens the door to his personal experience as his mind is failing.
The mental pictures are vivid as he recalls the happy days of his youth as well as how Alzheimer's affects those around him.
This book is a tribute to memory and a man's struggle to stay connected to the world during the "Long Good-bye". It is a celebration of life!
Rating:
Summary: Who Are You Without Your Memory--??
Review: As a child of an Alzheimer's parent, I was anxious to attempt to understand what my mother had possibly experienced.
Alzheimer's consumed her memory and idenity.
Thomas DeBaggio opens the door to his personal experience as his mind is failing.
The mental pictures are vivid as he recalls the happy days of his youth as well as how Alzheimer's affects those around him.
This book is a tribute to memory and a man's struggle to stay connected to the world during the "Long Good-bye". It is a celebration of life!
Rating:
Summary: Yes, There's a thinking Human inside an Alzheimer Diagnosis
Review: As a reader who has progressed from mild to moderate Alzheimer's [ALZ aka CRS]since January, 2002; and who is acutely aware of his own Rapid Onset in a Late Onset prognosis, I begged my Caregiver to order this for me asap, which she did. My own CRS has caused me to become unable to view complicated movies such as "Iris" and "Godsford Park" or multilayered television such as "West Wing" or "CSI." Similarly, the ability to complete reading a book more than 3 or 4 pages at a time has departed, never to return. But, like when I received "The Forgetting" by Shenk, I was able to read this 207 page saga, cover to cover, in less than a single 24 hour time span, aka "one day". My window of clarity, which happens less than once a quarter, gave me the grace to assimilate deBaggio's message, just as I was able to do before I became an Emeritus Professor in 1993. The writing by DeBaggio is superb, his poetry shines on every page! And he has been blessed with outsanding collaborators and editors who polished his rough diamond into the superb blue white gem which "Losing My Mind" is. De Baggio does NOT record a descent to madness, but rather an ascent into a Mount Carmel of shining sanity, despite his testimony to the contrary. The literature of ALZ is overwhelmed with desciptions, diagnoses,and understandings for/of the saintly Caregivers and facilitators who guide our descent into a Dante inferno. BUT, there is next to nothing wherein the person diagnosed with Alzheimer's tells us what is going on inside their crania. "Speaking with Alzheimer's" and "Into the Labyrinth [out-of-print]" are two other exceptions. Once we are diagnosed, it is as if we no longer are sentient human beings, capable of intellectual cognition. Our ability to convery our intelligence and meanings to others does deteriorate rapidly, particulary with aphasia, but the human entity is still there and functioning even though the ability to respond has vanished: i.e. a CRSer hears and understands all that is said in his/her presence, even though the ALZer cannot communicate that understanding.
Inspired by DeBaggio, I, too, have commenced a Journal of sorts, with the hope of telling others exactly what my sensations are as my hippocampus turns into Gorgonzola. {In my own situation, I have rewired my brain to eliminate frustration over a lack of word recall, and working memory recall, with the help of positive reinforcement, Qi Gong Nirvana state deep meditation, Vitamin B6, B12,E, and Aricet. Thus I have forced a window of clarity to write this critique, and DeBaggio has given this clinically diagnosed unipolar Depressive and CRSer hope that he can aid others before I am unable to lift my head or swallow. Like DeBaggio, the light at the end of my tunnel is an ALZ locomotive, at full speed, headed towards my demise, yet like him, I hope I can locate an agent, collaborator, and editor, so that my own Pilgrim's Progress will be a gift to my seven children and eleven grandchildren, {I include Andrew!}, when the words jumble and chaos reigns supreme, as it already has commenced.
Thank you very much Thomas, for your Augustinian "Confession!" I wish all of us fellow travelors, a "Safe Return."
Rating:
Summary: Dying In Slow Motion
Review: By all accounts it is an insidious disease. Four million Americans and counting are its victims. There are no survivors and it strikes as early as 27 and as late as 80. Until now precious few first-hand accounts of its relentless, irreversible, maddening progression have been available in other than clinical texts or coping guides for families.
Debaggio, an accomplished writer and highly successful independent businessman was, at age 57 in 1999, in the prime of his life.
During a routine visit to his physician he answered the question,"Is there anything you want to tell me?" with a casual remark that he was "...having trouble remembering things that are basic to my work, things I have known and now can't remember."
The result was a devastating diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's and a remarkable effort by a writer to document his experiences and provide a first-hand account that is both therapeutic to DeBaggio and of immeasurable comfort to individuals and families experiencing the symptoms of this hideous disease.
In a refreshingly readable, narrative style DeBaggio provides the reader with a personal record of his illnesses progression while weaving his recollections of his life prior to the diagnosis with his medical records and excerpts from leading medical journals that results in a three-part story that is unforgettable.
The end result is a multi-dimensional account of what he calls "...a man dying in slow motion." It is the story of frightening memory loss and the realization that you can no longer drive or perform simple routine tasks that have comprised your daily work habits for over twenty-five years. His story of being unable to operate the cash register at his world-renowned herb and vegetable business is poignant and illustrative of the power of the disease.
His description, after having been a writer for most of his life, of the impact of Alzheimer's is especially telling: "I have only a few seconds to capture a thought before it disappears from my mind. Scraps of ideas flit like birds. This is the worst thing to happen to a writer."
While the book contains understandable fear, rage, frustration and pity at the inevitable progress of the disease, there are also doses of hope and love and understanding that are of much comfort to those with the disease and their families and friends. In the end his message of love, both for and of his family and friends is of inestimable value and hope for four million souls and counting.
This is an extraordinary book. It is a rare, intimate, coherent look at Alzheimer's disease by a talented writer that managed to reduce to paper the lessons learned about the loss of memory and its tragic consequences.
My father-in-law recently died of this disease. The book has been of immeasurable help in understanding his struggle.
Rating:
Summary: A Unique Look Into the World of Alzheimer's
Review: Highly recommended read for caregivers of loved ones with dementia, as well as everyone else with aging loved ones. You will have a new level of understanding and deeper compassion about what it is really like to be afflicted with this horrible disease. Although everyone who battles Alzheimer's is different, the insight here is so unique and so worthy of our attention. Everyone needs to help fight for research dollars from our government to combat this disease, which afflicts one in ten persons by the age of 65. Jacqueline Marcell, author, 'Elder Rage', and host of the 'Coping With Caregiving' Internet Radio Program
Rating: 
Summary: A most depressing saga
Review: I do not wish to minimize the true suffering of this author who offers a firsthand account of living with Alzheimer's disease. However, I dare say that he does not represent the views of most people with Alzheimer's disease. Throughout the book, he paints the darkest possible picture of the disease and offers virtually no hope to people with the disease or those families and friends who provide care. Is there not more to life than memory and thinking? A few others who have written firsthand accounts of Alzheimer's and many others who have spoken about living with it have discovered YES! Although the author mentions his social circle including his wife and son, it's almost in passing. He characterizes his experience as a terrible and lonely hell. Must it be this private and sad agony at every moment of every day as he suggests?? It would be interesting to hear the views of his family and friends as they struggle to come to terms with brain impairments and his dismal view of the world. Unfortunately, the author offers little insight into his social resources and it seems clear that his internal resources are nearly depeleted. If you risk reading this book, take a Prozac tablet first. I wish the author would do the same to help him live his life to the fullest. I see nothing positive in this depressing story.
Rating:
Summary: A one-of-a-kind kind of guy...
Review: I feel privileged to be one of the first to review Tom's book, even though I've not yet finished reading it - it hurts to read it. Almost 20 years ago, after my mother died, I wanted to plant an herb garden. It was Tom's writing I discovered, and when I subsequently learned he, too, lived in Virginia and owned a retail herb business, my husband and I visited him. He was wonderful, and took the time to explain about the various herbs I purchased that day, especially the rosemary plants he was so proud of. A few weeks later, my rosemary plants had brown tips, so I wrote to Tom. He wrote back and explained what was wrong, and sent me some information on herbs. I caught a love of gardening, especially of herbs, from Tom. When my husband and I recently purchased some rural property, the first thing I thought was "Oh, I have to visit Tom for some herbs." It was shortly after that that I learned of Tom's Alzheimer's, and I was heartbroken for him and his family. He is truly a remarkable man, and the writing of this book is proof of that. It is an important book, but having met him and been the beneficiary of his kindness, quite difficult to read. I wish him and his family all the best.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Honest Look Inside
Review: I found Mr. Debaggio's book to be a very honest, raw and from the heart look at Alzheimer's Disease from the inside. He has illuminated a dark place and his words will help those of us who have cared for or will care for an Alzheimer's patient. This book is a must for caregivers as well as health care professionals.
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