2018 Wellness Expo

Page 22 2018 Wellness Expo LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Wednesday, February 21, 2018 worsening loss of memory, the pervasive confusion about place and time, these all pointed to Alzheimer’s Disease. Here is some of what we know about Alzheimer’s. n There are 5.2 Million Americans (220,000 Illinoisans) who have Alzheimer’s. n Research is expanding rapidly, but there is no known cure. n Alzheimer’s is a terminal disease, ending life directly or through complications as the damage to the brain aggressively impacts other organs. n People with Alzheimer’s typically die between three and eight years after the diagnosis, though some live as long as 20 years. It is a horrible disease. But I am in the midst of living through Alzheimer’s with another loved one, and it is NOT all gloom and despair. Nine years ago, my wife began showing unmistakable signs of dementia - decline in short-term memory, confusion about time and place. We requested referral to a neurologist for evaluation. The Department of Memory and Aging at SIU School of Medicine opened to us extensive evaluation, which confirmed the dreaded Alzheimer’s Disease diagnosis, but they also offered partnership and hope. We continue in their care, receiving guidance, medicine to maintain wellness, and participating in a long-term test that is exploring possible antidotes. There are things we have said good-bye to. We used to travel internationally, but the complexity and confusion of such travel does not fit well with Alzheimer’s. Mary used to do most of the cooking in our home. Inch- by-inch, dish-by-dish I have taken over the preparation. She can still do a single task like boiling the water for tea, chopping salad veggies, but multi-step recipes become too confusing. For daily activities, I have become more attentive than I would prefer. I ‘okay’ her still good choices in what to wear, choosing to care more about that than what my natural impulse would lead me. For any medical visit, I have to be present, not because I do not trust the doctor, but because she is not able to remember any diagnosis, or directive given. We put limits on her driving, finally choosing to completely end her driving because of concern for getting lost, and a realization that her slower reaction time could present a danger to her or to others. But there are many things she still does with CONTINUED →