Alzheimer's Disease is a strange and difficult thing to go through. Commonly hereditary, it scares many people, as the fear of the unknown. For the last 3-4 years, my paternal grandfather suffered from Alzheimer's Disease and it's compatriot in crime, Dementia. Although many people joke about Alzheimer's Disease, it is a serious ordeal that many people have to go through.
Alzheimer's Disease is silent but deadly. Most people do not recognize the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease (from now on referred to as AD), and pass it off as a normal aging behavior. AD is a disorder in the brain that effects memory, decision making and language skills. It is a non-reversible terminal disease. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. If caught early, preventative medications can prescribed to help slow the advance of the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease, however not stop or slow the progression of the disease itself.
In the case of my Grandfather, we caught it in the Moderate stage of the disease, which meant that he had some difficulty in recognizing family and friends, accomplishing daily tasks and having the ability to communicate freely. We decided that our next step was to put him in a care center. Like many who struggle with loved ones with AD, we patiently helped him eat and visited him as often as we could.
AD is not fun. It is hard to see a loved one not remember who you are, and how to communicate their joys, pains, happiness and sorrows. It is hard to watch as they slowly fade away and become trapped inside themselves. It is especially hard to wait for their right time to go.
Although this disease is the cause of much sorrow and hardship for families, there is a sense of peace when the time comes for them to leave this pain riddled world. They are now free and completely capable of doing whatever they want to do. I know that without the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I would have little to no hope of seeing my loved ones again, but we will someday. Next time you hear someone joking around with Alzheimer's you now know that this disease is not to be messed with. It is a true struggle, for those affected directly by it and family members.
