My mother and father’s pictures are everywhere in my home. Every morning when I awake – I see them and say “Good morning.” Throughout the day I talk with my mother and father. I share with them my tears that I still have for them, because I miss them so very much. I share with them the joyful moments of my day and yes, the angry ones.

I know, with all my heart my parents would not want me to grieve for them. I can hear my father this very moment saying to me “quit making a big deal of it.” I can hear my mother telling me “to move on with my life.” My reply back to the both of them is “with each day that passes I become stronger, but, I still miss you.” And then, I hear them laugh and I laugh with them.

For 56 years my parents were with me. For the last two years, although I no longer can hug them or kiss them, I can still see them. I close my eyes and see them. I dream about them. And, their pictures fill every inch of my home. It is important for me to keep their memory alive inside of me. I will never forget them. Their memory is everywhere in my home and in my heart.

Everyone will tell me that I am a splitting image of my mother. Every morning when I look at myself in the mirror – I see her. She’s smiling back at me. Every day when I go about my daily grind, I hear my father’s words of encouragement. He would always say to me “live, love and laugh.” He never wanted to see me cry and I know he doesn’t want me crying now.

Deborah Ann Tornillo
Author “36 Days Apart”
http://www.authorsden.com/dtornillo

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Deborah Tornillo

Deborah Tornillo was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas by her loving and nurturing parents. She attended the University of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she studied Art. After marrying, raising two daughters and enjoying life with her family, Deborah joined a higher calling by committing to be the primary caregiver for her parents, both of whom were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in February 2006. In her new collection of memoirs, 36 Days Apart: A memoir of a daughter, her parents and the Beast named – Alzheimer’s: A story of Life, Love and Death, Deborah chronicles the time spent taking care of her mother and father. 36 Days Apart recounts this painful, enlightening journey, and Tornillo writes candidly about the struggles and fears she faced as her parents’ caregiver. As their disease progressed, Tornillo was faced with the difficult task of learning how to be a parent to her own parents. Through the year and a half of caring for them she extensively researched Alzheimer’s in order to provide the best care possible, all the while knowing that the disease would eventually win in the end. 36 Days Apart gives an honest, unflinching look at the realities of caring for and losing loved ones to Alzheimer’s. Tornillo gives the reader an inside look into the day-to-day life she faced during her heartbreaking, difficult time.

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