WHY I Walk, Advocate, Educate and Fight to End Alzheimer’s and all other dementias.I

It all started innocently enough about 6 years ago.  Shortly after I joined Edward Jones, the firm announced that it would be the FIRST National Sponsor for the Alzheimer’s Association.  They were asking each region to form a walk team for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s to show support of this cause and to raise awareness in the communities we serve.  So, I signed up and attended my first Walk to End Alzheimer’s ever on a brisk October morning on the UT Campus.  It was a neat event and I walked to honor several of my clients that were facing this disease at this time.  It was great to see how many folks in our community supported this event, but heartbreaking to hear the stories of those families affected by this disease.  I knew then that this would be something I could be proud to support. 

Fast forward about 6 months – I get a call from my sister, Sonja, telling me that she thought something was going on with our Dad.  For several years, Dad had driven her daughter, Alyssa, to school daily; but one day on this trip – he suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and asked Alyssa where they were supposed to be going and how to get there?!?!?  WOW – This was so not like our dad – he was the smart and clear headed one in the family; the one that made sure everyone else was taken care of first.  After further discussions with our mom, Sheila and Mike – other out of character things started to come out that Dad had done in the recent weeks/months (trips to Wal Mart and then calling to ask why he went to Wal Mart, forgetting lots of things, confusion when making plans, change in his laid back personality, etc).  As a family, we decided we probably should talk to a medical professional to see if everything was ok.  When he visited with his doctor, they decided to do some cognitive testing and imaging to get more information.  Those additional tests led to words I never thought I would hear and definitely never wanted to hear…..”Alzheimer’s Type Dementia”….and then came the flood of questions in my head….What is it?  What do we do?  What is next?  How bad will this be?  Does this mean he will not know I am in the next few days/weeks/months/years???  Unfortunately, the answer to all of those questions was maybe/maybe not or we aren’t sure exactly. 

OVERWHELMED, SAD, SCARED, CONFUSED, MAD were some of the first emotions I felt after getting this news.  Luckily, due to the Edward Jones partnership with the Alzheimer's Association  – I was aware that there was a 24/7 Helpline that was available (1-844-440-6600) to reach out to for help with resources, etc.  I reached out to them and was directed to the local Knoxville Chapter of Alzheimer's Association Tennessee Chapter .  They also provided me a source to locate resources, support groups, and educational opportunities.  I met with a local representative, Rebecca Williams , and learned more about the work they do locally, nationally, and world wide. Keep in mind, dad's geriatrician did not provide any information about this disease and how to get any help.  Basically, you have Alzheimer's; good luck!

Now my emotions were turned to PASSION and COMMITMENT!  I knew that with a group of folks like this fighting against this disease – it doesn’t have a chance – we WILL find a cure and I wanted to be a part of that for my dad.  As I thought about all of this, I quickly realized how many of my clients and their families were dealing with this same battle – I thought of Al and Anne, Joyce, Jewel, Ms. Brackens, Mr. Dalton and many others – my passion grew for them and their families as well.  

As I prepare to participate in my 7th Walk to End Alzheimer's - Knoxville  – the story continues to change – 

In mid January 2021, Sonja got a call from our Dad that Mom wasn’t feeling very well and he felt like she needed to go to the Emergency Room to be checked out.  As she always does, Sonja jumped into action and got Mom to the ER.  The ER doctor did some imaging there and the results showed that Mom had developed a condition in her brain known as Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.  This condition is where fluid gathers in the ventricles of the brain and commonly leads to dementia and other related issues.  When Sonja shared this news with us, I immediately started looking information up to learn more about what this meant.  A simple Google search yielded lots of results, but the very first result listed on my search was a page from the Alzheimer’s Association…..wait, what….huh??  What does NPH have to do with Alzheimer’s???  As I read, I learned that NPH is very commonly misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s because it often leads to dementia in those who have the condition.  WOW – That explains a lot of different things we have all noticed in mom in the last few months…forgetfulness, repetitiveness, depression and other changes.  NPH is often referred to as the only treatable form of dementia – THAT IS EXCITING!!  I shared this info from the Alzheimer’s Association with my family and again reached out to the 24/7 helpline and got referrals to neurologists and memory care providers in the area.  Upon a follow up with Mom’s doctor, we find out she would not be a candidate for the available treatment for NPH (here comes the sadness, fear, anger, etc….again!). 

Unfortunately, we lost Mom on June 21, 2021 due to other health related conditions.  Mom's last few weeks on earth were riddled with the effects of her dementia and made the process just a little more difficult for all of us.  While we are thankful that the dementia never got a full hold on her brain - it sure grabbed the hearts of all of us that loved and cared for her.  My dad lost the love of his life and primary care giver.  Our family now faces new caregiving challenges and the Alzheimer's Association is there to help us navigate this journey.

So, now as we prepare for the 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s – I add my mom to the list of those who I walk to honor and remember that are fighting the battle against Alzheimer’s and Dementia.  I will keep walking until we have a world without Alzheimer’s and all other Dementias!  I will continue to advocate until we have a world without Alzheimer’s and other Dementias!  I will continue to educate the community until we have a world without Alzheimer’s and all other Dementias.  I will continue to raise funds for care, support, and research until we have world without Alzheimer’s and all other Dementias!

I humbly ask that you join this fight with me.  You can join our family walk team, make a donation, become an advocate, help plan and organize the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, participate in educational events, but more than anything you can do – just pray that one day we all see a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementias!