Alzheimer's Disease
Below are excepts from an article provided by the Mayo Clinic that discusses one of the most debilitating diseases of our day.
Definition - Alzheimer's disease causes brain changes that gradually get worse. It's the most common cause of dementia — a group of brain disorders that cause progressive loss of intellectual and social skills, severe enough to interfere with day-to-day life. In Alzheimer's disease, brain cells degenerate and die, causing a steady decline in memory and mental function. Current Alzheimer's disease medications and management strategies can temporarily improve symptoms, maximize function and maintain independence. It's also important to seek social services and tap into your support network to make life better. Research efforts aim to discover treatments that prevent Alzheimer's or slow its progression.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease you may notice are increasing forgetfulness and mild confusion. Over time, the disease has a growing impact on your memory, your ability to speak and write coherently, and your judgment and problem solving. If you have Alzheimer's, you may be the first to notice that you're having unusual difficulty remembering things and organizing your thoughts. Or you may not recognize that anything is wrong, even when changes are noticeable to your family members, close friends or co-workers.
Brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease lead to growing trouble with:
Memory - Disorientation and misinterpreting spatial relationships - Speaking and writing - Thinking and reasoning - Making judgments and decisions - Planning and performing familiar tasks - Changes in personality and behavior
Brain changes that occur in Alzheimer's disease can affect the way you act and how you feel. People with Alzheimer's may experience:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Social withdrawal
- Mood swings
- Distrust in others
- Increased stubbornness
- Irritability and aggressiveness
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Wandering
You may wonder why I am discussing this. Joyce's mother, Bonnie Ratliff who turned 90 in January, has been diagnosed by one doctor as being in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's. Joyce and I had noticed gradual changes over the past few months and two trips to the emergency room within one week led to further testing. Physically, Bonnie is in excellent health for someone who is 90 but her mental abilities are deteriorating. Joyce and her brother have made the decision to move Bonnie to an assisted living facility around June 1 and the packing has begun. She will not be able to move all of her belongings due to space limitations and our children, Mike and Sheri, are going to be getting some of the furniture and other non-essentials. Bonnie's attitude has been remarkable thus far and Joyce took her over to see her new apartment at Jefferson's Garden last week.
When she found out that she could have a cat, the deal was cinched and that is all that she can talk about. Her cat of 17 years, Beasley, was put down about seven moths ago and it almost appears that the deterioration began shortly after that. Bonnie spends a lot of her time alone in her apartment and that cannot improve one's mental attitude. Joyce and I have also been cleaning out closets and drawers lately and the following was in Joyce's "Keep This Stuff' folder. I thought it was very well written. I hope that you agree.
Remember Me
When you forget your own address
and find yourself on strange streets,,
we'll sell your car, and I'll drive you
to all the places you need to go,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When you forget how to dress
and end up with three sweaters,
two sets of panty hose, and a
slip on over your dress,
I'll help you to look proper
when you go out,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When the words on the menu
don't match the pictures in your mind,
and you keep ordering things you won't eat,
then I'll order the food
that I know you'll enjoy,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When finding your way at church is frightening,
I'll take you to your class and pick you up
and let you sit with me in big church.
If the sermon seems long and you get sleepy,
I'll let you put your head on my shoulder,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When hot and cold faucets confuse you,
I'll put you in a tub of warm water
and give you a bath,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When you forget who people are
and can't tell your family
from total strangers,
I'll be your memory
and tell you their names,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When they're having a party
for all the residents,
and you want to go
but don't know what to wear,
I'll make you a costume
that everyone will envy,
like you did for me
when I was a child.
When you forget who I am,
not just my name or my birthday,
but that you ever had children,
then there isn't much I can do
but go somewhere and cry,
like I sometimes did
when I was a child.
By Kenneth Chafin
Please pray for Bonnie, Joyce, and me and the other family members as we travel through the unknown while knowing that the following scripture from the Living Bible will be our comfort.
2 Cor 4:16-18
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