When David’s wife Jeanette was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, they were determined to live as full a life as possible, for as long as possible.
"My wife Jeanette has always been more adventurous than me and loved to travel. We met while I was serving in the Royal Navy and later she would visit me where I was working all around the world. She wouldn’t think twice about travelling out to see me in far-flung places like Kuwait and Oman.
"I’m originally from Derby and Jeanette is from Tranent, but we met at a dance in HMS Cochrane, when I was in the Navy up in Scotland and she was doing her midwifery training. She was such a beautiful, vibrant girl. We agreed to meet under the clock in Waverley train station the next day. A couple of years later we were married – and that was 50 years ago. Our daughter Zoe was born in Gibraltar, where we also got our first yacht, and we eventually settled in Fife.
"Jeanette is 75 now and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017, although we knew something was wrong a couple of years before that. Her personality had started to change, from someone who was always calm and laid back to being more aggressive and irrational. It took two years to get the necessary scans that confirmed her diagnosis.
"We always lived a full life but after her diagnosis, I knew the clock was ticking. I did my best to make sure we made the most of the time we had, while Jeanette was still well enough to enjoy it. We’re both keen sailors and would spend time with friends in Turkey, go sailing in Greece every year, and generally go out on our boat, Grey Dove, as much as possible, keeping her in Rochefort and the Canal De Midi in France for eight years.
"I cared for Jeanette for about nine years until last year when her illness progressed to the point where she needed more care than I could give her. She’s now being looked after wonderfully in a care home in Kirkcaldy.
"It’s been difficult without her here, but I knew I had to keep living my life. I decided to take part in the annual sailing Round the Island Race, around the Isle of Wight, to raise funds for Alzheimer Scotland. It’s over 1,300 miles just to get there and back, which is no mean feat at the age of 76 with two metal ankles, two metal knees and three metal hips, as well as being a bowel cancer survivor.
"It was an eventful journey, not least because my fellow crew member fell ill and I had to sail most of the way solo. Then heavy weather meant the race itself was cancelled. But we’ve raised more than £1,200 so far and I’ll keep the JustGiving page open for a few more months.
"I’m blessed to have great friends and neighbours who come and see me. I’m currently technical director and Rear Commodore at Burntisland Sailing Club and a Catamaran Cruising Association member. I play in Fife Ukelele Orchestra too, and perform with a quintet of friends, OnChord Ukuleles, in care homes and Alzheimer Scotland centres around Fife. Just ask, we play for tea and a bun!
"It’s important to get on and live life as well as you can. The extremely arduous sailing trip down south and back has resulted in a major improvement in my health, both physical and mental. I feel two inches taller and 10 years younger and everyone has noticed and commented. So... just do it!"