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The Dementia Diaries
Dr. Will Newman had it all—prestige, purpose, and a groundbreaking career in psychiatric research. But on the same day he learns that his experimental treatment protocol has failed irreparably, he also receives even more devastating news.
Stripped of his identity and any meaningful future, Will retreats to a humble state hospital with an ironically optimistic name: F.R.E.S.H. He intends for it to be a temporary stop on his path to disappearing. Instead, it becomes the one place that just might save him.
Underneath the misfortune present at the hospital, he discovers the power of a kindness that can't rely on good fortune. Surrounded by a series of serendipitous events and a cast of unforgettable characters, he is offered an unexpected purpose. Among this “FRESHness” is a brilliant, compassionate woman to whom he is especially drawn. But he will not, he cannot, risk getting close to any of them. Hope and healing are cruel illusions. It is too late.
As his old life disappears, a new one begins to take shape—messy, tender, and more real than anything he has ever known.
The Dementia Diaries is a heart-gripping, emotionally rich novel about losing everything and finding yourself. For readers who love emotional fiction and are unafraid to deal with issues of mental health, grief, and the power of connection, this story delivers a journey that will stay with you long after the final page.
What if everything you built your life around suddenly ended?
About
Storyteller. Psychiatrist. Father. Observer of Life’s Synchronicities.
J. Timothy Damiani, the son of a mentally ill mother and the creator of the Dementia Diaries series, has learned to embrace the quirky parts of humanity. As a geriatric psychiatrist at a state hospital, he learned how community and caring drive healing. The professional achievement he is proudest of was receiving The Resident’s Choice Award. This honor was initiated by his demented patients, who quickly forgot about it, but he has not.
He lives with his wife, a high school photography teacher. Their three children and grandson are never far from their minds. You can find his musings on his Substack I Digress, https://jtimothydamiani.substack.com