Dear Breakfast Clubbers, March 2010

I have approval to tell you of our present journey honestly using the right terms and all. Sweet Jan has Alzheimer Disease. I have hinted at it for some time but not used the proper word. Now it’s time. We have had such a wonderful journey for 54 years. A few years ago I suspected something different was happening to Jan. I wouldn’t let myself know the truth and became very angry as a person. Now I know why. If you do not know of this disease, you are lucky and please don’t get too knowledgeable until the need arises. It is not for sissies.

There will be no new Jan Dorer paintings. We have a sizeable inventory of good paintings left and too many to leave all to the kids. Speaking of kids they are being wonderful and coming from Georgia and Minnesota every two months or so. They are real supportive and thankful I have made the decision to care for here at home. The kids, 48 and 50 years old, are amazed at my patience and ability to care for Jan so calmly. I was advised against keeping her at home but am a bull headed son of a gun and am happy I have chosen to continue our journey together. I reread the disease information and it is recommended to keep her home if the spouse has the ability handle all that needs to be handled. We have a person four hours a day five days a week to help. I am going to get help on the weekends and maybe some nights to be able to get away some. A few dear friends have been very supportive and helpful for us.

Jan still has the twinkle and the wit. She loves people as always. Almost forever we would start our day with breakfast and a conversation. We would end the day with a glass of wine and more conversation. When we met we talked till late in the evening-morning or just talking. We have not stopped talking since. I miss that so much for it isn’t totally possible anymore. She wants to go live in Saginaw with her mother and father as an only child as before. Imagine the peace of being an only child with extremely loving and caring parents. I don’t blame her for this wish.

I have always been amazed at Jan’s ability to paint as creatively as she has been able to do. So few are capable of coming up with all the images she has created. Just think. Start with a white piece of paper or canvas and create something different as often as she has. We get about two emails a week thanking her for the paintings she has painted saying the joy and pleasure and peace they have felt from the paintings through the years. I may be a fool but I feel 50 or 100 years from now she will still be considered a talent. It has been my contribution to always have her use quality materials. The canvas was linen. The paper has always been professional grade. This means something to me and to those who know the longevity of quality materials. Our greatest reward for the lifetime of work is the knowledge of what her work has meant to so many, not all but to many. I feel our life has not been in vain.

The next “Gil says,” hopefully will be full of funnies and hilarious goofs. I have tried to entertain as best I can. Sometimes the stupider the jokes the more successful they are. Laugh like you never laughed before. Someone said that and it sounds good to me right now. If you wish to talk to us email dorergj@aol.com That’s g for gil and j for jan and dorer for dorer or call 734 475 4300. We’re probably the only residence in the country with a 00 at the end of the phone number. When we moved and the number became residential from commercial it still remained ours. Thanks for being friends.

Love, Gil