Two South Florida Residents Published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s

MIAMI - April 28, 2014 - PRLog -- The Alzheimer’s Association^® recently announced that Laura Suihkonen Jones of Lighthouse Point and Jean Salisbury Campbell from Ft. Lauderdale have been selected as published authors in the new edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias. The book is comprised of essays, stories and poems from people living with Alzheimer's or another dementia, their caregivers and affected friends and family members.

Out of thousands of submissions, Laura Suihkonen Jones and Jean Salisbury Campbell were two of the 101 personal stories chosen to be published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias.

In the book, Laura Suihkonen Jones shares her story of her 56-year old husband who was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer's at the age of 50.

We fine-tuned our faith. And I don't mean organized religion or spirituality.  I mean the simple faith that everything happens for a reason.  The faith that all is exactly as it should be.  Our faith was multiplied by the coincidences we began to see around us.

Like when I was buying a dress for an event, and I suddenly burst into tears.  I explained to the dismayed salesperson that my husband had Alzheimer's, he was so young, and I was buying this dress to travel WITHOUT HIM to an event.  There I would be honored for my support of his efforts to make a difference.  She stared at me in disbelief, and with tears filling her eyes told me her sister had been declining with what her family was beginning to believe was dementia.  I was able suggest a few resources to start with and at the end of that time, I bought the dress and we hugged our goodbyes.

Jean Salisbury Campbell shares the story about the day her mom found a bird in their Florida home.

No bird. I checked the shower, behind the toilet, under the sink. Not even a feather.

“Maybe you had a dream, Mom.”

“I know what I saw.” She pointed to the skylight. “Right there. A bird was flapping around, trying to get out.”

“Well, I guess he made it.” I clapped. “Good for him. Can we go to bed now?”

Mom hung her head and wrung her hands. “I know you think I’m crazy,” she said. The smartest woman I’d ever known looked bewildered and close to tears.

Guilt over being too flippant weighed on my conscience and pulled my shoulders into a slump. I turned my weary self back into her bedroom and looked up to the heavens for guidance.

From the top of the armoire across her room, a huge black bird looked back. “Whoooa!” I screamed.

To my stunned eyes, the bird appeared the size of a giant condor. I threw my arms around Mom, although she showed no sign of needing my protection. She drew in a breath that raised her shoulders all the way to her ears, then sighed relief, like a witch whose burning had been called off when her visions proved to be true.

“We are proud to have these women share their most personal experiences and help raise awareness of the Alzheimer’s epidemic and comfort those impacted by the disease,” said Ann May, CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Chapter.  “We know their stories and others will continue to inspire volunteers, caregivers and family members in South Florida and around the country to continue our fight against this deadly disease.”

For more than 20 years, Chicken Soup for the Soul has published inspirational books with extraordinary stories. The Alzheimer’s Association and Chicken Soup for the Soup collaborated to create this important collection to support the more than five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s and their 15.5 million caregivers. The personal submissions provide practical advice, encouragement, insight and support to readers.

        Alzheimer’s disease is the nation’s sixth leading cause of death and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the U.S. without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression. In 2013, 15.5 million family and friends provided 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care to those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org^® or call 800.272.3900.

About the Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Florida Chapter

The Alzheimer's Association, Southeast Florida Chapter is a local 501 (c) 3 organization committed to helping the families of Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. The Chapter advances efforts for researching a cure through fundraising and its signature event Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, and provides support and educational services to more than 200,000 persons with Alzheimer's disease and their families and caregivers in its service area.  It offers a 24-hour HELPLINE (800) 272-3900, support groups, Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch™, the Medic Alert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® identification bracelet program, Comfort Zone®, community education, and an advocacy program to educate Congress on critical Alzheimer’s policy issues and work to increase federal funding for research and care programs. The Association’s mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.  As a national organization, Alzheimer’s Association is the largest private funder of Alzheimer’s research in the world.  For more information or to make a donation, please call the Southeast Florida Chapter at (800) 272- 3900 or visit www.alz.org/seflorida.