Martha L Garmon
Author/Speaker
Books
"I have never felt safer or more loved than I did when I was in his arms. There is no doubt in my mind that he changed me for the better. All I can say is that we were good for each other and better together."
Martha and Stephan were married for almost 18 years. It was her second marriage and Stephan's third. She did not believe in soulmates, but after meeting Stephan she was convinced she had met hers.
After Stephan was given a terminal diagnosis, he gradually lost his ability to do many things. When he would lament that he "couldn't do anything," Martha would tell him that his most important job was to "love me." Stephan did that job perfectly right until he took his last breath. The last fews days of his life he was no longer able to speak, but even when he couldn't say the words, she could see the love in his eyes.
This is their love story.
For four years, Martha cared for her husband, Stephan, while he battled FTD
(Frontotemporal Degeneragtion) and ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). During this time Martha and Stephan walked through the valley of death. They found the strength and the hope that they needed to carry on in God's Word.
In these meditations, Martha says she was preaching to herself, "I needed frequent reminders to look to God for the help needed to accomplish this impossible task." With God's help, Martha was able to walk Stephan to the end of his dark valley and somehow survive the ordeal. Now, she walks another valley as a widow, but she knows that God is faithful and he is still walking beside her in this valley.
There is a lot of information available on how to care for a person with dementia. However, there is another person needing care: the caregiver. Through personal experience and the writing of I Am Not Alone, Dr. Garmon has found simple and easy ways to support the caregiver. Don't let dementia take two victims; learn more about who the caregivers are and what they need. It doesn't take much to make a big difference.
Available in Kindle and Paperback
In a moment, your life changes forever. Your loved one gets the diagnosis of dementia and before you can comprehend the words, you are a caregiver. Forty-two caregivers were interviewed about their journey. Each interview is short enough to be read in in just a couple of minutes.
Caregiving is not easy, and it is even harder if you feel alone. I hope you find strength and encouragement in these pages and survive to care another day.
Available in Kindle and Paperback