JOAN’S BLOG – FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2009 – THE FORGOTTEN ICE CREAM CAKE 

If there is one thing my husband loves to do, it is eat food that he enjoys. When I was a Domestic Goddess in another life, I was one good cook and baker.  That was before I worked full time, and store bought bakery goodies, fully cooked barbecue chickens from BJ’s, pizza delivery, and eat out, replaced home made chocolate chip cookies, cheesecakes,  and meals made from “scratch” as we called it in the old days. “Scratch” refers to using a recipe and fresh ingredients to prepare a meal or dessert that isn’t packaged, frozen, or delivered.

One of Sid’s favorite desserts was my special ice cream cake. He LOVED it. Whenever we would be invited to someone’s house, and I was asked to bring a dessert, he always begged me to make the ice cream cake. He was specific in the flavors of ice cream and type of toppings he wanted. He attacked that cake with gusto, savoring every cold, creamy bite.

We are going to a birthday dinner party on Saturday night, and I was asked to bring a dessert.  I confess – my first thought was to order a dessert tray from Publix Supermarket. But then I thought that Sid would be excited if I made my famous decadent ice cream cake.

Once again, I was shocked  (why?) and so very saddened as he stared at me with a blank look when I told him I would make the ice cream cake for Saturday night. He had absolutely no idea what I was talking about. He has no memory of my delicious cake. He concentrated and thought and thought and thought, but nothing came into his mind. The point is not that he forgot my cake, but that he forgot something that was once so important to him. That hit me hard. 

I understand that in the massive scale of Alzheimer’s Disease, forgetting an ice cream cake does not compare to him someday forgetting who I am. But sometimes simple incidents can hurt as much as larger ones, because they indicate one more step down in the Alzheimer journey.

MESSAGE BOARD TOPIC: The Forgotten Ice Cream Cake

Coming soon: The big anniversary blog

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©Copyright 2009 Joan Gershman 
The Alzheimer Spouse LLC 2009 All Rights Reserved

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The Alzheimer Spouse LLC 2009 All Rights Reserved