I used to walk because I was scared. I have seen how this illness has affected my close friends and my husband as it progresses through their families. My husband lost his Grandfather from an illness very similar to Alzheimer’s. We would come up to see him and bring my hound dogs. He would think they were his hunting dogs each time and that we were bringing them so he could hunt. It was so heartbreaking to see. However, the joy those dogs brought to him so he could relive those days was immeasurable. When we came, he would think his sons and grandsons were his old army buddies. The disease progressed quickly, and there were very few days where he was able to actually identify us as his family. It hurt us all to see how this caused his health to rapidly fail, and see him forget all his younger memories and us.
I still walk because I’m scared, however, I now have a new reason too. My mom was recently diagnosed with a vascular cerebral dementia that is very similar to Alzheimer’s. However, she is forgetting more and more everyday stuff (she leaves the keys in the door, forgets I get off at 5 every day, forgets things we remind her about, etc.). What makes this slightly different from Alzheimer’s is that she should not forget who we are. It makes it challenging, trying to balance keeping her safe, and letting her remain in her home with her independence. I don’t want myself, my husband, my close friends, or any of my family or theirs to have this disease waiting for us as we age. I want to find a cure so no one else has to live with any form of Alzheimer’s or Dementia. It is one of the most heartbreaking things to go through, and I will do everything I can to help make sure no one else has to experience the difficulties these diseases cause.
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