When you get to be a certain age, you can’t help but wonder if dementia is your destiny. Up until Season 3 Episode 15, this blog explored what it means to age, how to tell normal aging from dementia, and how to protect your mind as you go forward. After that episode, though, it switched to a serialized autobiographical novel about an 87-year old’s attempts to defy aging.
We all know what the final destination is on our journey through life, but what we don’t know is which path we’ll travel to get there: normal aging or dementia. This blog shares my fears, failures and triumphs along that road, no matter which fork fate has chosen for me.
-Wayne Braffman
December 12, 2020
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From the blog…
The Octogenarian: 51. Convictions
Sally and Alex remained on the bench long after Mayor George had left. They were silent, overwhelmed by their own thoughts. The music played, but they didn’t hear it. After a while, Alex noticed that the sun was setting and there was a chill in the air. He suggested they go to Casa Guava for…
The Octogenarian: 50. Confession
Sally checked the weather and saw that the next day of balmy temperatures would be arriving on Wednesday. She took out her stationery and wrote a note to Mayor George asking if he could meet with Alex and her at 2pm that afternoon at the pond. She then walked to his unit, slipped it under…
The Octogenarian: 49. COD
Time is funny, Alex thought to himself. Sometimes a week can take a lifetime to play out, but at other times, like Superman, it can be faster than a speeding bullet. This was one of those other times. Time had given Alex some distance from Frank’s and Helen’s deaths. As shocking as it had been…
The Octogenarian: 48. Aftermath
A scant forty-two minutes later, with all the residents asleep, all hell broke out on the unit. The wristband monitor in the nursing station let out an ungodly wail that sent all 4 staff members rushing into Grace’s room, defibrillator in hand. The head nurse grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her violently to…
The Octogenarian: 47. New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve was a time of forced gaiety on the Memory Unit. Sparkling non-alcoholic cider was toasted and drunk at the conclusion of a countdown that took place at four in the afternoon so that visitors would have plenty of time to get home and attend their actual celebrations. The friends and family who…
The Octogenarian: 46. Dr. Kirsch
The holidays came and went, barely grazing Sally and Alex. They went through the motions, but their hearts weren’t in it. Their minds couldn’t have been farther away. Sally had always thought that being a detective would be fun. Now she understood that it could also be a burden. It seemed like an eternity, but…
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About Me
As I turn 70, I’m embarking on my 6th career. I’ve been an urban planner, Director of a 3,000-seat performing arts center, B&B owner and cookbook author, clinical psychologist, political activist and Chair of our local Democratic Party, and now blogger. My pattern has been to change careers every 10 years, so if all goes well, this should keep me occupied until I’m 80.
Please feel free to comment below, or email me at: Wayne@MistakesOnTheJourneyToNowhere.com
The Octogenarian 
Thank you so much for visiting. Please don’t hesitate to stop by anytime!
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Wayne your are one of the best. You can say you tried it all on your journey.
Seems at 60 I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up as I travel this journey of mine.
Didn’t know about the zoom party or I would have tuned in.
Fredda
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That makes 2 of us trying to figure out what we’ll do when we grow up!
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Thanks for inviting me Wayne. I signed up. Miss you already and your sound reasoning from CCDC
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Thank you…and remember that the ’emeritus’ hot-line is always open! 😀
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Hi Wayne,
You’re in my baby-boomer class, and it is indeed hard to let go of items/mementos that were marks of certain times in our lives. I keep reminding myself that these things are of little value to anyone but me, and what counts is in my mind anyway.
Happy New Year!
Nancy Dean
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It’s a fascinating process, isn’t it? Everyone will come up with different answers (and I like yours), but for me, the question ‘What was I saving this for?’ was answered with: ‘I was saving it for exactly this moment!’
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Hi Wayne,
Roberta Eldridge here,though I’ve moved from Kennett,I still call it home! And still in touch with my Coffee Klatch Group!
I will think about what to say next time!
Happy Belated Chanukah
Roberta
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Hi Wayne- I just discovered your blog and read a couple posts. Really enjoyed them. We are having some similar missing about life and age. All the best to you and Sally from NM
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Miss you guys…hope all is well.
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Thanks for inviting me Wayne. I look forward to joining you on your new journey.
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Happy to have you on board, Cindy!
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I am right alongside of you on your journey.
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As I knew you would be!
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This is a great idea. Thank you for inviting me
My journey has been similar to yours, multiple careers and sometimes paths that seemed to go nowhere but were taking me exactly where I should be then and even now.
And I’m still searching!! I have a magnet from Venice that says “may we live in interesting times”. I always loved it but after this year, I may take it down, give it a rest. I just want some peace and quiet for awhile.
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I couldn’t agree with you more. Or as it’s said in China: ‘The Curse of Interesting Times.’
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Wayne,
Thank you for the invite. I look forward to the journey.
Charlotte
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I know you’ll be a wonderful traveling companion…great to have you aboard!
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Wayne, Looking forward to continuing the journey, with you!
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Welcome aboard…you can ride on the AA train! 😀
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🎼everybody knows this is nowhere.
Onward with the journey ole friend. Stay well ❤️
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Thanks for adding the music…so happy that the trip includes you!
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Thanks for the invitation Wayne! I am happy, and Dennis too, to join you on this very exciting journey!
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Now this is an international event…thank you!
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Best to you as you move forward. Will continue to fight the good fight.
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Im here just to check it out. I have always had a bad memory and afraid the as i age (almost 60) things will only get worse.
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Thanks for stopping by, James. Having always had a bad memory does not predict what will happen to you going forward; you are not more at risk than anyone else. If you do start to notice changes and decide to be tested, though, please be sure to tell your doctor about the kinds of problems you have always had. It will be important and helpful information in charting your path forward.
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Hi Wayne thank you for inviting me. you know after our K.A.D. trip together you aroused my curiosity even more, and nothing will surprise me.
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Hope all is well with you. Yes…there are surprises ahead. Welcome aboard!
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