I am a victim of the disease. No, I do not have it, and I do not want your sympathy, but it does make victims out of everyone who is around the person that has it. I am not saying this to make you feel sorry for me, or get anything, except awareness that the people who have the disease, be it Alzheimer’s or Dementia, suffer, absolutely, but the children, relatives, and caregivers also suffer when they see the amazing, vibrant person who they knew and loved dearly, aren’t in the body of that person anymore. Yes they are still there, but, the person’s memories are full of holes, especially the short-term memory. The reality is that it can change the person’s personality, outlook on life, and make them fretful, worried, even totally belligerent.
My Grandmother, on Mom’s side, pictured above, developed what they called “hardening of the arteries” in the 1970’s. It was very difficult for Mom, Grandma had a tough time, also, hallucinating, and other things I cannot remember well as I was young, but Mom dealt with it as best as she could, and she was tougher than I ever was. Grandma died with the disease, she was 82, if my memory is right, I was only about 12 or 14.
I know, when my Mother, who was the most “go-along-to-get-along” person in the world, changed. She worried about money constantly, concerned that she could not afford to…
