Happy Birthday in Heaven, Gary!

My late husband Gary would have celebrated his 70th birthday today had he lived.  Frontotemporal Degeneration (FTD) robbed him of that celebration.

I am a Facebook user and one of the features is a daily reminder of what happened on that same day last year, the year before, etc.  Today, since it was Gary's birthday, I found the following:

2013 - We had not yet identified the disease but knew that something was definitely wrong.  Part of the disease is personified in bad decisions....he lost over $400,000 that year in bad investments.  

2014 - Gary and our beagle Diva were constant companions.  It is ironic that she died just two weeks ago.  Early indications during this year of his disease included the two of them getting lost, getting in the car with strangers who felt sorry for them during the heat and Gary letting Diva run off-leash and her getting hurt.  

2016 - This year Gary had deteriorated so much that he had to go to a memory care unit.  The disease had started taking its toll on his body and on his birthday he could not walk nor speak.  

2017 - just one year ago, the disease had ravaged his body and he was awake but near vegetative state. His hands and spine had atrophied and he did not know any of us.  He certainly was not celebrating his birthday. He died January 9, 2018.  Upon his death, within minutes, his body was restored and he lay flat.  The atrophy in his hands and spine were gone and he was free.

So, today, he is celebrating a FTD-free birthday in Heaven with his devoted Beagle by his side.  I am grateful for the time we had together and even though my life is happy and continuing, there is still a sadness that reigns in my heart on certain days.  Happy Birthday Gary.