the fall this time of year
i tend to do a lot of reflecting
i guess because thats when all the alzheimers walks occur
when you see a lot in the paper on tv and social media
about alzheimers disease
i start thinking a lot about our family
my mother nell
a nurse who was struck with this dreadful disease
later in life
it was sad to see her deteriorate so slowly
my father charles
he died of heart disease but probably had early alzheimers disease
my older brother charles was diagnosed 3 years ago
he seems to be stable for now
my brother joe
a retired fireman
a retired deputy sheriff
he was struck with the disease much too young
in his early 50s
he was gone in his early 60s
i think about him a lot
when i was diagnosed in december 2010
i really thought in september 2017 i would be where he was with his
disease at that time
i feel so lucky that i am able to sit here today
writing this blog
doing all the things i did when i was diagnosed
7 years ago
i really didnt think i would be able to sit here this morning
and
write
and
drive
and
do all our finances
and
know everyone
and
travel
and
see my granddaughter start to grow up
i feel lucky
maybe its from
all the healthy stuff i do
all the protocol stuff i do
the medicine aricept (donepezil) slowing this down
maybe
just maybe
if i am lucky the aducanumab i am getting each month
an antibody infusion against the bad beta amyloid in the brain
the stuff that may be the cause of alzheimers
might slow things down some
i know from preliminary studies that if i an not getting the
placebo but the real aducanumab that most of that stuff the amyloid
will be removed by next year
the question is
will the memory stabilize or get better for those of us getting
this experimental drug
if it does work to improve memory
then its part of the answer
then
ive gained 5 years
which if you have had a love one with this disease like we have
thats a lifetime of time
i think about all the folks i have met over the last 7 years
patients husbands wives sons daughters grand kids cousins friends
all like our family deeply affected by this disease
i know many of you who are reading this blog
your family has been affected also
i will be thinking about my family and yours and theirs
as i and my family and my friends and former patients
do our walks this fall to raise awarenes
and
to raise funds to educate and finance research and encourage
our government to do more
tomorrow here in texas
there will be a time
when i will stop
go inward
think of my family and others
yes i always tear up
then
i will move forward
to do what you have to do to make things better
join us or do your local walks
my walks
alzheimers texas williamson county walk september 23rd
santa barbara walk to end alzheimers october 28th
the organicgreendoctor
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