Alzheimer’s tests memory, not friendship

Published 9:31 am Friday, September 28, 2007

Friends who live states away may drift apart. Especially when one gets Alzheimer’s disease.

In this case, the bond held between friends for 50 years. Dianne Berst of Marysville has even written a cookbook to honor her best buddy, Naomi Lachica from Ohio.

Sad but true, as is often the case, those with Alzheimer’s remember way back, but not yesterday. When Berst sends her a card, Lachica, 62, totes it around for days. Berst said she wonders why she pays the postage to send zucchini pineapple bread to her friend, but what else can she do, all those miles away?

When Berst, 61, was 10 years old, she lived in Machias.

“I became pen pals with Naomi Hawks of Jeromesville, Ohio, through ‘Children’s Playmate Magazine,’” Berst said. “We wrote to each other at least weekly during our growing up years and shared many interests.”

Years ago, during a long weekend, she moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the government and went to Ohio to meet her friend for the first time. Her pen pal also visited Washington, D.C.

“When I returned to Washington state to get married in 1965, Naomi came here to be my maid of honor,” she said. “In 1966, when my husband was serving in the Navy in Vietnam, Naomi moved to San Diego, where I was, and we both worked for the department of the Navy.”

When Lachica returned to Ohio, she met her husband, Jim.

“He was in the Coast Guard and after he retired, they moved to the Philippines in order to adopt his two nieces. About seven years ago, the whole family visited relatives in the Philippines. Naomi got sick with a flu-like illness while there, and after returning to the U.S., never returned to being herself. Eventually, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.”

Berst, soon to retire as a judicial assistant for the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Washington, kept in touch with her friend. Berst visited Ohio for a wedding and took her pen pal on little side trips.

“She loved it,” Berst said. “She reveled in just going out to lunch at a fast food restaurant.”

After the visit, Lachica’s pastor from Trinity Lutheran Church saw her at the post office. Lachica told him she was waiting for her friend to come and take her on vacation again.

“He knew that didn’t sound quite right, so he took Naomi to the church and helped her write an e-mail to me,” Berst said. “I had been sending her goodie boxes and three times in her e-mail she wrote ‘I like cookies.’”

Berst had a brainstorm to make a recipe book for her friend. The title, of course, is “I Like Cookies.”

It includes Berst’s favorite recipes, then she expanded it to include work by her friends. Another marvelous idea came to fruition when she wrote to the Ohio pastor and his congregation also contributed cookie recipes.

The book includes almost 350 goodies from macadamia nut to Secret Surprise Chocolate Chip Cookies.

An old hand at publishing, Berst’s first cookbook, “Sharing Our Best” was so successful that several recipes from the book are included in a cookbook titled “The Best of Washington.”

Sometimes Berst said she questions why she still sends treats to someone with Alzheimer’s.

“I miss the letters, phone calls and gifts that no longer come from Naomi, who became one of my very best friends through 50 years of friendship,” Berst said. “Then her caregiver said her face lights up when we talk on the phone,” she said. “I am so far back in her memories.”

Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.

@6. Recipe header:Zucchini pineapple bread

Berst got this recipe about 40 years ago from Jolene Gladsjo, and always plans to have some in the freezer to slice at Christmas time. She said it’s so pretty with the cherries in it. The bread is a favorite of her pen pal in Ohio.

3eggs

1cup oil

2cups sugar

2teaspoon vanilla

2cups grated zucchini

1¾ cups drained, crushed pineapple

3cups flour

2teaspoons baking soda

1teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon baking powder

1/2teaspoon nutmeg

11/2teaspoons cinnamon

1cup raisins

1cup walnuts

3/4cups maraschino cherries, cut and drained

Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add zucchini, pineapple, flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, raisins, walnuts and cherries.

Grease pans well. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool before removing from pans.

Makes two loaves.

“I like Cookies”

To order “I Like Cookies,” send $15 plus $4 for postage and handling to Dianne Berst, 6111 70th St. NE, Marysville, WA 98270. For more information, call Berst at 360-657-3325 or e-mail dianneberst@aol.com.