A Walk Down Memory Lane |
| How many of us can forget the birth of our children and those idyllic first days in the glow of their sweet innocence, or the enormous responsibility thrust upon us for the care and protection of such a fragile life? Intense emotions, of love and terror, overwhelm new parents, and particularly stressful is the inability to communicate to our young heirs. Until a child can express emotions other than “wet” or “hungry,” we usually fear the worst. While a mother surely feels connected still to the nascent newborn after their nine-month symbiosis, as a father, I recall yearning for my child’s first recognition of my existence as anything more than just another pinkie to grasp. The answer to my question is, unfortunately, that many of us can, and will, forget. The birth of our children, and grandchildren, the love for our spouse, and their devotion to us, can all fade away for one who suffers the tragic onset of Alzheimer’s disease. What was beautiful and pristine in the glory of infancy – that sweet innocence – becomes agonizing helplessness in the Alzheimer’s victim, and debilitating hopelessness to family and friends. Without dismissing the seriousness of other fatal maladies, I know of no disease that causes more pain to more people for a longer time than does Alzheimer’s. Its victims die an average of four to six years after diagnosis, but the duration of the disease can vary from three to 20 years. And its effect on family members is heartbreaking – the breast once passionately hugged and that pinkie grasped so long ago now belong to strangers in the mind of an Alzheimer’s patient. The tremendous burden of care giving, in every way reminiscent of a newborn’s incapacity, falls upon shoulders already weary with age and adult responsibilities. I witnessed the trauma of Alzheimer’s, admittedly as the second tier of support, in the death of my father-in-law, Dr. Mark DeNaples. A kind, gentle man, and a brilliant neurosurgeon, he was too young, at 62, to be lost to the fog that clouded his final years. Our family has become involved with the Alzheimer’s Association in the years since, and we encourage others to support this worthwhile organization. The Alzheimer’s Association provides a broad range of services to families fighting for survival and dignity against that dreaded disease. Their web site – www.alz.org – is a comprehensive source for information on every aspect of life after diagnosis. Resources are available to answer questions about treatment options, care giving, Medicare and Medicaid, legal issues, and financial options. Local chapters provide workshops, housing assistance, a 24x7 Helpline, and community outreach. The Association funds research and offers physician referrals. Services are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese, and it has an initiative focused on African-Americans. We encourage your financial contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is highly regarded for efficient use of funding and its reasonable administrative costs. However, we would like to make a special plea for your support of the Association’s annual Memory Walk. Now organized in more than 600 communities, the Association expects to top last year’s 200,000 participants in 2009. Locate an event near you at the Association web site and bring your family and friends. At only 2-3 miles, the Memory Walk is a fun event for all ages. We hope to see you there! |