Only five years ago, my Brother-in-Law (B-i-l) drove an excursion trolley-bus for one of Savannah’s tour companies. He not only drove this vehicle; he also provided fascinating and detailed information about homes, churches, parks, monuments, and a variety of historical landmarks of interest to his tourist passengers.

Only five years ago, B-i-l was a masterful driver of his trolley-bus — a vehicle much wider than a normal car, probably the width of a regular city bus. It held about 24 passengers, and had a somewhat menacing overhang in both front and rear. Yet B-i-l managed to maneuver his huge vehicle in, around, and through, Savannah’s streets where busy traffic intersected at squares rather than criss-crossed byways governed by traffic lights.

Only five years ago because he was a lifelong history buff, in addition to the normal spiel he was expected to deliver through his microphone, B-i-l could answer just about any question a tourist would ask. In prior years, he had gone to libraries and bookstores to get additional information about Savannah and its history, the city he and his wife loved. They had moved there from Rochester, New York.

Five years later, today, B-i-l can no longer drive his trolley-bus. The mountain of information he willingly crammed into his brain to make him a thoroughly knowledgeable tour guide is inaccessible if it is there at all. When one tries to engage him in any conversation or ask him some historical question, he cannot bring to mind the words to express himself.

Sadly, B-i-l knows what is happening to him, but not always. He knows he has Alzheimer’s. He knows he can no longer take care of his wife, my sister, who also has Altzheimer-like dementia. But her vascular disease is advancing much more slowly. In a vain attempt to comprehend the world around him, B-i-l repeatedly asks the same questions over and over and over.

Since he can no longer drive, he and my sister must rely on a paid caretaker to help them three days a week with taking medications, preparing meals, buying groceries, doing laundry, locating lost items, driving them to and from medical appointments.

Article Author: Regis Schilken

Regis Schilken's stories reflect his search for meaning in a very human but frightening way. Three of his books have been published: The Oculi Incident, The Island Off Stony Point, and a third, You Know When was just recently released. …

Visit Regis Schilken's author page — Regis Schilken's Blog