alzheimers news-6 things to know about us

ALZHEIMERS NEWS-6 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT US

this week i was looking at my my chart record at my old labs to review them
i noticed my diagnoses
one was mci due to alzheimers disease
there it is in black and white

i was thinking maybe i wish that wasnt on my records 
what if i get unconscious and am taken to the emergency room
they pull up my record
they say 
oh hes got alzheimers disease lets dont be aggressive with him

if i could speak out to them at that moment
hey
im not that bad yet 
do what you can to save me

i also have noted medical providers talking to my wife she instead of me like i dont know whats going on in the world

i have even interrupted them before and said you need to be talking to me

on the other hand
i want folks to know my diagnosis and know that there are a lot of people like me who know early they have alzheimers disease
and 
are functioning quite well in society

i drive
i travel
i do our financial planning and our banking
i do our taxes
i plan meals and do our shopping
all things alzheimers patients arent supposed to be doing

the alzheimers association recently mentioned 6 things folks with alzheimers disease want you to know

-if you want to know how i am doing just ask me
i agree with that one
just ask me and i will freely talk about my diagnosis
ill tell you more than you probably want to know
youll have to tell me ok you can stop now

secrecy is the enemy when it comes to memory loss

-my alzheimers doesnt define me
more folks are getting diagnosed early now so they are diagnosed when they are still active mentally socially and physically

it really doesnt affect me yet in my daily life

-yes younger folks can get alzheimers
my younger brother was diagnosed in his early 50s
folks with early onset alzheimers a dominant gene variant can be diagnosed in their 30s and 40s

-please dont debate my diagnosis and dont tell me i dont look like i have alzheimers disease
this doesnt bother me any
they can diagnose you early now with memory testing blood testing spinal fluid analysis amyloid pet scanning and with some mris using artificial intelligence

so you can get diagnosed early in the disease before things get worse
go ahead
say to me you dont look like you have alzheimers

ill say 
right

-remember my words and my actions may not be me but its my disease
im not there yet but i know its coming
i just hope i dont make people uncomfortable when my time comes
please forgive me if i do

-remember that an alzheimers diagnosis doesnt mean my life is over 
im loving proof of that

i elected to be open and freely discuss my diagnosis hoping that it would help with awareness with this distance
so
folks will seek early diagnosis for themselves and their loved ones
folks will seek out help when things get worse for the patient and the caregivers

my list would be
-get evaluated early for memory loss
-speak freely about it if you have it
feel free to ask me about my diagnosis
-dont treat me any different
-you and your family need to be prepared for the inevitable
-live your life to the fullest
-seek clinical trials to help us find treatments and hopefully a cure
one big obstacle to finding treatment and a cure is the lack of subjects for clinical trials

yep
thats my advice

the organicgreen doctor