Finding Joy in Adversity

About the Book

“This narrative is given with the intention of sharing experiences of fear, anxiety, distress inspiration, intuition and spiritual awareness that was to bring joy out of adversity.

Carl Bock, a retired Navy Seabee Masterchief Construction man, tells of meeting the challenges of Alzheimer’s after his wife Helen was diagnosed with the disease. Carl speaks of how his search for understanding opened doors to new thoughts about the importance of the virtues of peace and joy when facing the trials of adversity. The initial, almost overwhelming, experience of negativity, fear and bewilderment was countered with a determined search for ways to transform the negativity into a positive joyful happening.

This determined search uncovered a new and stronger spiritual awareness; an awareness that brought new moving experiences through dreams and intuition. When the application of the lessons derived from these experiences was put into practice a new era of peace, love and joy was to become a lasting part of the total experience of adversity.

The thoughts narrated here are not put together as a “How To” book or a “Book of Instruction”. They are a compilation of the many lesser positive and negative experiences encountered through the many years of at-home care giving; bringing about what Carl describes as, “the most rewarding experience I have ever had the occasion to experience.”

About the Author

Carl N. Bock was born in Crawford County, Missouri just outside the small town of Bourbon on December 25, 1930. He worked for three years in construction work before joining the U.S. Navy being assigned to many projects throughout the Pacific Ocean area. He attained the pay grade of E-9 (Masterchief Construction Man) in 1986 and retired form the Navy in 1972.

After his Navy experience, he and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he became a self employed “Construction Quality Consultant” and associated with the Veteran’s Administration as a new home building inspector. His construction career did not prepare him for his new “Tour of Duty” as a primary, at-home, caregiver for an Alzheimer’s disease patient.

His book, Finding Joy in Adversity: The Alzheimer’s Challenge, is a narrative of his personal experience with finding that joy. His searching “Tour of Duty” lasted from 1984 to 1999.

Carl still resides in the Phoenix area.