I am walking to honor my mother and grandmother. My grandmother was diagnosed when I was a teenager, and I did not understand the life changing effects of Alzheimer's. I was not involved with my grandmother's care or progression; my mom cared for her, on her own, for as long as she could. All I remember was my grandmother slowly forgetting who I was and being afraid to go visit her. This hit me hard, as my grandma & I spoke on the phone every day, for as long as I could remember.
Fastforward to current day and my mom is now diagnosed with dementia. I am now her ultimate decision-maker, which has been a very difficult adjustment for my mom, as well as for me. Mom is slowly forgetting more and more each day. The hardest part for me is not getting frustrated with her. I answer the same questions at least five times a day, but I remain calm and continue to answer, and I will continue to do this as long as I am given the time with her.
I am always reminding myself how she cared for me when I was little and could not care for myself and promise to care for her in the same way as the disease progresses. It is extremely hard seeing the strong, independent woman I knew become scared and unsure of herself and her surroundings. Things as simple as eating, what day it is, and what happened yesterday are the new normal for mom. I pray that I can make her transition through Alzheimer's as smooth as possible for her, which is an extremely difficult challenge.
I am honored to be chairing this year's RVA Walk. I am doing this for my mom, and to let everyone out there know that help is available! The Alzheimer's community is uplifting and supportive and is giving me the strength I need during this difficult time.
The great news is we are now in the era of treatment, which is absolutely amazing! Together we can end Alzheimer's disease. Your donation, no matter how small, can create a significant impact in this research. #WALK2ENDALZ.
My hope for the future is that our children and grandchildren have fewer challenges to overcome if faced with this disease. #ENDALZ
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