World Alzheimer's Day

Today is world alzeimers day - a day to promote awareness of the disease and draw attention to the fact that so little money is spent on research to find a cure. I think I read that there are close to 30 million people worldwide with alzheimer's. It is a horrible disease that robs you of yourself, steals away your memories, takes away everything that makes you You. My favorite author, Terry Pratchett, was diagnosed with it at a very early age and it is heartbreaking to think that the world will lose such a brilliant, funny mind way before it's time. I can't begin to imagine the pain the families of alzeimers patients must feel. So please spread the word. Maybe if you have an extra $5 you could donate it to an Alzeimer research fund or participate in a fun run for research. Wouldn't it be great if we could find a cure in our lifetimes!

Yes, it would be great to cure it in our lifetimes... I'm visiting myparents right now, and my mother clearly has it. We're just having a hard time getting her to a doctor. it may be too late for her, she's pretty advanced. but knowing there's a risk of me getting it someday (her father had it too), I can only hope for major advances before I get there...

Send up a prayer for all those afflicted with, and those around them affected by, this disheartening disease. It's painful to come down here and see her behave the way she is now...

Amanda

HBO had a series on a while back called The Alzheimer's Project.
Very informative but very sad.

Here is the link to it. I believe you can still view it. There is also a link to what they have discovered about it so far, medically.

http://www.hbo.com/alzheimers/

Thank you for the posts, I can not add much to what I have read except I have taken care of alzheimers residents at the nurseing home and it is very sad. Thank you for the awareness.

Alzheimer's is a horrible disease. My mother suffered from it for a couple of years before she died this spring. It's a gradual disintegration of the person you once knew, and not a fate I'd wish on anyone.

Alzheimer's is a very ugly, nasty thing. It has literally destroyed the person that my grandfather once was. I used to get so excited looking forward to going to visit him, and now everytime I see him I wish that I didn't have to (I know it sounds mean, but it's true.) He was never a really nice guy, but now that he's 81 it's like everything's going to he**. I always tell people that if they don't have to meet him, then they shouldn't. He will only be mean to them, like he is to me.

I miss the person that he was, and hate the person that he has become (yes, I know that hate is a strong word but if you knew the whole story you'd understand).

As much as we are all hoping that they find a cure for Alzheimer's, you also have to keep in mind that God has a will of his own and doesn't let things happen without a reason. That being said, I'd like to give God (or whomever you believe in) a nice, firm slap on the wrist for creating such a sad, tragic disease such as Alzheimer's.

I'm not a religious person by any means, but I find myself praying for my "real" grandpa to come back to me, the one that I looked up to so much and was so much fun, and not this evil monster that he has become (once again, you'd have to know the guy). His demensia doesn't help things either.

It's a horrible disease; not only does it affect the person with the disease, but it affects the people around them. It's just tragic.