True love! Husband’s loving daily ritual for his dementia-suffering wife
<p>After 68 years of marriage, Carl Gacono is as besotted with his wife Mary Jane as ever – but even their children didn’t realise how dedicated their father is to their mother.</p>
<p>The 88-year-old retired insurance salesman has been caring for 86-year-old Mary, who suffers from dementia, for the past eight years, adamant in providing her the care she needs so she does not have to go to a nursing home.</p>
<p><img width="444" height="333" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/27/15/4A9A3FD500000578-5549499-image-a-7_1522161663728.jpg" alt="Their daughter Becky, 55, said Carl doesn't want Mary Jane to go to a nursing home" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-523cccf4a7a64575"/></p>
<p>But their daughter Becky, 55, only recently learned of her father’s loving morning routine that includes arranging her jewellery and picking her undergarments.</p>
<p>She stopped by their home in Annville, Pennsylvania, one morning to help her mother so that Carl could go to a doctor's appointment.</p>
<p>“We knew he had a routine,” Becky said. “We assumed he was doing everything but everything down to the detail was what was amazing to me. It made me love him more if that was possible.”</p>
<p>“He reminds me to put her jewellery on after she’s dressed, explaining which one clips and which one fits over her head,” Becky wrote in <em><strong><a href="http://www.lovewhatmatters.com/his-love-for-her-is-palpable-doting-husbands-explicit-instructions-for-wife-with-dementias-morning-routine/" target="_blank">Love What Matters</a>. </strong></em></p>
<p>She said Carl told her “don’t forget the bracelet with the heart goes on the left with her watch. The other two bracelets go on the right.”</p>
<p><img width="431" height="574" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/27/15/4A9A6FBC00000578-5549499-image-a-6_1522160698527.jpg" alt="Carl cleans Mary Jane's glasses and arranges her jewelry as part of his daily morning routine" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-7d5911dab2bb894e"/></p>
<p>Carl then chooses Mary Jane’s outfits and on the day Becky visited, Carl had picked out a turtleneck and a red decorative sweater. On the floor were her shoes with Mickey Mouse socks folded on top of them.</p>
<p>“Her under garments are neatly laid across the back of her waiting wheelchair. He explains each undergarment,” Becky wrote.</p>
<p>Once Mary Jane is dressed, Carl makes her breakfast and then they spend the rest of the day together.</p>
<p><img width="426" height="383" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/27/21/4A9A447200000578-5549499-image-a-3_1522181515135.jpg" alt="Becky said she's stunned by how much love and respect her parents have for eachother" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-19fee2c4dd8ec52d"/></p>
<p>Becky said her parents, who met while attending the same high school in New Jersey in 1948, always had a deep respect and love for each other.</p>
<p>She said that her mum has always been supportive of Carl and now her father feels like it's his turn to take care of her.</p>
<p>Although they have caregivers who help Carl and Mary Jane five days a week, Carl has made it his mission to help his wife cope with her dementia by continuing her morning routine like she used to do.</p>
<p>“Things that are different tend to rattle her,” Becky said. “She's more confused when things are not the norm.”</p>
<p><img width="418" height="372" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/03/27/14/4A9A446200000578-5549499-image-a-4_1522158128156.jpg" alt="Carl and Mary Jane (pictured here on their wedding day in 1950) have been married for 68 years" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-6a42fba7f65ceb9f"/></p>
<p>Becky said her family began noticing Mary Jane's dementia symptoms about nine years ago.</p>
<p>The diagnosis was devastating to the entire family including Carl and Mary Jane’s six children, 14 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.</p>
<p>“We could see all see that we're slowly losing her,” Becky said. </p>
<p>Becky, who has created a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/momsdementia/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></strong></span> to write about her experience dealing with her mother’s dementia, said she's touched by her father's routine and that the love he has for Mary Jane is beautiful and inspiring.</p>
