About Minds That Wander Off

   

PublishAmerica

Trade Paperback; 331 Pages

6" X 9" X .75"

Minds That Wander Off explores the the mental, physical, and emotional effects of Alzheimer's disease on its victims.  It takes the reader on a journey through the twilight and into the deep darkness of this unrelenting and devastating illness.  The story also highlights the helplessness of loved ones as they experience the second hand effects of Alzheimer's.  Minds That Wander Off blends comedy, drama, and satire into what the author hopes is an entertaining, enlighting, and enjoyable reading experience.

 

Jasper Lumana was found lost and wandering along a highway eighty miles from his home.  His wife, Theresa, had noticed his other times of confusion and she takes him to doctors who confer and agree that Jasper shows symptoms of Alzheimer's.  Since Jasper won't accept the diagnois and can't be trusted to make sound life decisions she has him moved into a care facility, The Manor in Singing Woods.  His loud and obnoxious revolt against the food being served gives him a recruit in Bert Jackson.

 

Bert Jackson is a schozophrenic dwarf in the middle stages of Alzheimer's.  Each Sunday his daughter, Holly Jackson-Noble, takes him out and Bert believes his dead wife Marlen is alive and with him.  His desire to find the most miserable person in the Manor to make happy takes him through the food serving line and to the outside table where Jasper eats.  A strange conversation, a tipped over chair, and a spilled meal ruins lunch but by the end of the day the two men have bonded.

 

Dr. Gerald Blanchard, psychologist and managing director of Singing Woods, has been psychotic since his youth.  He believes Jasper has multiple personalities within multiple personalities.  Using expensive, delivered meals to lure Jasper to treatment sessions, he carefully records and analyzes their conversations into reports for the lay professionals inhis profession.  His desire to be rich, famous, and world reknown drive him to crazy conclusions.

 

Often A. Einstein is the C.E.O. for all of The Manor's and his demand for reduced expenses and more profits drives employees to implement outlandish rules and wild service charges.  Luxury cruises and expensive trips are awarded annually to those he delares overachievers.  The winners always seem to be young and attractive women.

 

April Dueda and May Day walk the corridor and hallways of Singing Woods and the nearly naked Jasper they keep seeing reminds each of the Ned of their youth.  They chase after him unashamedly as their friendship deteriorates into open warfare.

 

Jasper's many schemes to change the way things are at The Manor always fail and often haunt him.  Bert's fear of the demon taking his life leads him into strange behaviors.  The two men are committed to saving each other.  When Jasper believes the kitchen crew is trying to poison him and everyone else wantys to kill him it is Bert that helps him find new hiding places.  When Bert can't remember all of the words it is Jasper who finds a unique method of reminiscent therapy.  The two stick together through a suicide, a change of living quarters, and the inevitability of losing their minds.

 

Theresa and Holly become friends.  Dr. Blanchard cures himself.  Often continues his demands.  Only one of the women can win.  Jasper is left to watch snowmen melt with the rays of hope.

 

What readers of Minds That Wander Off have said:

"I finished your book and truly enjoyed it.  I found it brilliant, I mean genius, how the story developed."  Al O.; Avon, CT

"Finished "Minds" and got to say I really enjoyed it.  The ending was great…final chapter was very good.  Thank you for writing it."  Wade G.; Upland, CA

"What a book…I did find it entertaining and enlightening.  The descriptive details of the characters was vivid.  You have the reader involved, not wanting to put the book down." Evie T; Rapid City, SD