Sammie Marsalli

Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and interests.

As an author I am not an expert or an authority on Alzheimer's. I never pretended to be. I am simply an ordinary “John Doe” caregiver, husband sharing my experiences living and caring for my wife 24/7 with Alzheimer's. We have been married 43 years and I am trying to not let go and avoid her shutdown. This book started out as a daily diary of how my wife´s behavior was dramatically changing and how I was affected and began to relate to her differently. Writing helped me ventilate my deepest emotions and reactions in private as they were too personal to express to others. Somehow writing "alleviated" my continuous sorrow. Soon this diary turned into this book. Preventing Her Shutdown is my desperate effort to keep my wife with Alzheimer's "connected". In Real Time there are very personal unloaded feelings, emotions and reactions expressed, never confided to anyone while slowly losing my wife. There are no two profile behavioral changes alike with Alzheimer´s. I describe these dramatic changes with my wife who is in the beginning of the advanced stages. My reactions have always been intuitive in my desperate attempts to keep her “connected” with me, family and her surroundings. Real time experiences and actions "racing against the Alzheimer's clock" to keep her communicating and interacting every day, even though she no longer speaks are detailed in my never-ending battle to prevent her shutdown. I like to read, take walks and, listen to music. My bio is really of two people, my wife and I.

When and why did you start writing books?

This book started out as a daily diary of how my wife´s behavior was dramatically changing and how I was affected and began to relate to her differently. Writing helped me ventilate my deepest emotions and reactions in private as they were too personal to express to others. Somehow writing "alleviated" my continuous sorrow. Soon this diary turned into this book. Hopefully it can help others who are on this same tortuous journey identify and relate with the events I described in this book.

What made you decide to tackle writing as a career?

I am not sure it´s a career as I am a 24/7 caregiver for my wife. I like to write which I do in my free time.

Which one of your books or characters is your favourite?

Alzheimer´s Through The Stages by Mary Moller

Which one of your books was the hardest to write and stretched you the most as a writer?

I have just finished my first book which wasn´t hard to write since it was a daily diary of events and emotions of what was going on with my wife who is in the beginning of the advanced stages of Alzheimer´s. What was very difficult were the emotions involved in watching her deteriorate little by little as I desperately try to keep her connected to me. Writing did alleviate some of this pain but I was also re-living those very sad moments.

Who is your favourite author and book?

Alzheimer´s Through The Stages by Mary Moller

What book are you reading right now?

When Reasoning No Longer Works by Angel Smits

Where do you get your inspiration for your books?

Writing started as my personal therapy to express my deepest and most private emotions of my wife´s journey never expressed not even to my family. Writing articulates my feelings and expression much better than my conversations with other people which can be more superficial. I began to write every day recording my reactions to her dramatic changes in her behavior and how I reacted especially now since she doesn´t speak.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I like to read, take walks and listen to music.

Do you have any new books in the works?

My diary continues. Hopefully it doesn´t end. I am not sure if this turns into a second book. We´ll see.