Stolen Mind (The Slow Disappearance of Ray Doernberg)

A gripping medical mystery story. In August 1982, Myrna Doernberg and her two sons faced a family nightmare. "Something was happening to Ray," Myrna writes in the opening chapter of "Stolen Mind." Ray Doernberg, beloved husband and father, the center of a close-knit family, was slowing losing his memory and his abilities. Ray's doctors strove in vain to understand the progressive dementia that was destroying his life. It was not until a few months before Ray's death in 1984 that the family learned the truth about Ray's condition: it was Binswanger's Disease, a rare progressive dementia that mimics Alzheimer's. This is the story of a remarkable family, a very special marriage, and a very brave man facing impossible odds, who loses most of what he values in life but somehow clings to shreds of hope, his sense of humor, and his love for his family. Author Myrna Doernberg's frankness and sensitivity make this a book that will touch the heart of any reader.