ten years ago i applied for long term insurance and got it
after passing a mental status exam
i got all of the questions correct
then
7 years ago i contacted the alzheimers center at ut southwestern in dallas
to be followed annually as i aged so i would know if i developed
memory issues
if i did i had decided that i would stop practicing medicine
i underwent a neuropsychological exam to get into the normal control
group of a large study called the adni 3
being in this study would allow me to be monitored long term
i was also added to a state run study doing the same thing
as a normal control you are what those with memory issues are
compared to
as i sat in that chair in that room answering those questions
many the same as i answered correctly 3 years before
for my long term care insurance
well
i felt like i was in a fog
got real sweaty
as i couldnt answer the questions
i knew then
my time like with my mom and my brother
it was my time
when i got the official report
memory loss greater than you should have for your age and education
you need to see a neurologist they said
i made a neurology appointment in a month
i started my month long slow down of my practice
not letting anyone know except my wife she
well
my nurse and our clinic supervisor sensed it
they knew
my last day she the supervisor said
you arent coming back are you
no
i said to myself
i knew that was it
i had promised myself i wouldnt stay too long
when the time arrived
my last patient i saw in practice was an employees son
who needed a two year check up
i contacted her to bring him in at the end of the day
he was the last patient i ever saw
the next day i got my diagnosis
mild cognitive impairment probably due to alzheimers diseas
i got a new drug
aricept (donepezil) to slow things down
it slows the symptoms but not the disease
i must say i felt devastated
as did most of my coworkers and patients
i couldnt go back
mentally emotionally i coudnt
legally with this diagnosis
medically legally i was now a high high risk physician
i retired my license
that was it
lucky for me
hundreds of patients reached out to me
ive maintained contact with many of my patients via social media
i have got to see the kids grow up
many now having kids
that all helps a lot
i reentered the study having been placed in the
mild cognitive impairment branch of the adni 2 study for 5 years
today i am receiving monthly infusions for another
3 plus years if not longer of aducanumab
which will probably slow down the disease
hopefully until even more new treatments become available
my goal is to see my granddaughter graduate from high school
she is 2 1/2
since my diagnosis
pat summit the tennessee womens basketball coach was diagnosed
with early alzheimers
she died over this 7 year span
my younger brother joe
the mirror i looked into when i saw him
died also from alzheimers disease during this 7 years
7 years ago
i really expected to be further along in this disease
at least where my brother joe was and pat summit was when
they were diagnosed
why am i better or why am i not worse than i was 7 years ago
aricept (donepezil)
healthy living
aggressively controlling my diet weight exercise blood pressure stress
cholesterol
i take a boatload of supplements that may possibly help
i think i was also really early in the disease
earlier than most are when they are diagnosed
having been diagnosed almost by accident
my diagnosis has been confirmed by several neurologists
diagnostic studies like spinal tap analysis and the amvid amyloid scans
so as i sit here typing this blog
i am so thankful to be here today
cognitively here
to be able to enjoy our family
our new life
still doing all the things i was doing before i was diagnosed
and since then
im lucky to be alive
im lucky to be this healthy
physically and mentally
thats my new years resolution
let this all continue
please
fire update
were done
the fire on this side is stopped
folks are being let back in their houses
the air is crisp and clear
thank you thank you thank you firefighters
you are the greatest
have a happy holidays
for those who celebrate
merry christmas
the organicgreen doctor
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