ME.....ALZHEIMER'S? NO WAY!

We would like to announce that we have a new addition to our volunteer program. The following is the second contribution made to our blog by our volunteer. The man who wrote this blog is facing Alzheimer's disease after being diagnosed in August of 2007. He and his wife attend our education programs and are looking forward to becoming more involved with Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area. Our volunteer will be 90 years old next year, and we are very thankful to him for offering such wonderful words of encouragement. You can look forward to many more of his blogs.

Last year, in August 2007, an internist, Dr. R and a neurologist, Dr. M confirmed the fact that I should be treated as a patient having a mild case of Alzheimer's disease. Their diagnosis floored me. I was not in agreement with their diagnosis. Members of my immediate family responded in the same manner. Very strongly. They said, "We've known you all these years and now you have Alzheimer's? Unbelievable. Look back on your years with Equitable Life Insurance Company. You started out in the office of a small Equitable agency in Nashville. Some 28 years later you retired from the Equitable office in New York City as Director of Professional Development. Think of all the advances you've made up the corporate ladder." My family said the doctors were wrong. And I agreed.


Now, more than a year later, the minds of the doubters may have changed. So has my outlook about Alzheimer's. In the morning, and sometimes during the day, I have to ask my wife, Jean, "What day is today?" So, I made a calendar showing each day of the week on a separate page to help remind me what day it is. But I forget to change it from day to day. For example, I just looked up at my home made calendar and it tells me today is Wednesday! Wrong! Today is Monday. I'll ask Jean to remind me to change the days of the week on my calendar. (Me ... Alzheimer's ... No Way).

We have a large monthly calendar in the hall near the phone. I will, or Jean will, write what commitments we have each day. But sometimes I forget to write down my commitments. For example, I go to the dentist every three months for teeth cleaning. When I leave, the receptionist hands me a card with the date for my next cleaning. Today, the phone rang and the dentist office reminded me that I have an appointment tomorrow at 1:30. Know what? I forgot to put the new appointment on my calendar three months ago. When I looked at the calendar this morning, I thought we had a free day tomorrow, but alas the phone call brought news of the dental appointment. (Me ... Alzheimer's ... No Way).


The office staff at Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area asked me to write a summary about the September Lunch 'N Learn session. It was published on their blog. Evidently, it met with success and rave reviews because many of the Alzheimer's staff congratulated me on writing the article. Those comments made me feel great! Perhaps I can be used by Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area to write articles for them. I'd like to do that. The articles might encourage someone who (like me) has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. We are not cripples. We just have a disease that has been labeled as "Alzheimer's." Doctors say we really can not tell for sure we have Alzheimer's. The only certain way is to perform an autopsy...after death. At 89, I'm not ready for that test.

So having the label of Alzheimer's may not mean we really have it. Only an autopsy at death will tell. It will be too late for me to know, because I'll be up there above the clouds with all my family and friends who have preceded me.


So why worry? I don't know for sure that I have Alzheimer's! But the doctors think I do. So who is right? I am having a great time right now and that is all that matters. I prefer to think its old age and so does my family! Who is right? Both? Wait and see!

This blog was written by a person who has been diagnosed with a mild case of AD. He will be 90 in '09.