My first introduction to Alzheimer's disease was when my paternal grandmother was diagnosed. We watched her memories and ability to communicate slipped away. She passed away soon after I started my freshman year of college. I attended medical school after college but didn't have much exposure those years. Then I started my internal medicine residency and so encountered patients with Alzheimers' then and continue to encounter them in my rheumatology practice. Now with my dad's recent diagnosis I feel empowered to offer empathy due to my personal experience with Alzheimer's. I am hoping that with continued medical research we can find a cure or effective preventative treatment.