Dementia Blues

A stunning, honest and sometimes funny photo-memoir of a son’s journey with his mother as she struggles with dementia. Stu Jenks and his mother Mary Jenks, never close before she became sick, find new ways to let go of the past, and to live in a present filled with fear and sadness, as they both walk toward her future death. Stu hopes this book may help others who are caring for parents with this disease, that they may find the courage to ‘show up’, and the wisdom to know it’s not about them. Simply, that adult children provide a great gift to their sick, elderly parents, a gift that people have bestowed to others for tens of thousands of years: They are helping their mothers and fathers die.

A stunning, honest and sometimes funny photo-memoir of a son’s journey with his mother as she struggles with dementia. Stu Jenks and his mother Mary Jenks, never close before she became sick, find new ways to let go of the past, and to live in a present filled with fear and sadness, as they both walk toward her future death. Stu hopes this book may help others who are caring for parents with this disease, that they may find the courage to ‘show up’, and the wisdom to know it’s not about them. Simply, that adult children provide a great gift to their sick, elderly parents, a gift that people have bestowed to others for tens of thousands of years: They are helping their mothers and fathers die.

Born a son of Virginia, Stu Jenks has lived and worked in the Tucson, Arizona area for the last twenty-five years. Having made his name primarily as a nocturnal photographer, Jenks now takes photos in the daylight hours as well. Jenks recently started his own publishing company, Fezziwig Press, and is currently finishing his fourth photo-memoir entitled “Transpersonal Papers: 1861-2010”. (His first three books, “Flames Spirals”, “Hoop Dancing” and "Bozo In Love" can be purchased through the usual digital purveyors, as well as from Jenks’ own website.)     Stu appears obsessed with spirals, hula hoops, zippo lighters, and surfboards, and nothing seems to have helped. He tends to hear voices, though they never tell him to do anything bad. A tiny inflatable Bozo has entered Jenks’ life recently, and many of Stu’s friends wish Bozo would go away. Jenks tends to laugh at inappropriate times, and cries joyously just as often. Stu will gladly give you a hug anytime.