'I cant remember' a simple phrase we all say at least a few times a week, maybe even a few times a day for those of us are less attentive to the world around us. Although we may all know what it feels like not to remember a birthday, an appointment or even a name; but do any of us know what its like to not remember the name or face of a family member or beloved friend? or how to perform our activities of daily living such bathing, cooking or using the bathroom?
According to the Alzheimer's Society; Alzheimer's Disease is a "progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, which causes thinking and memory to become seriously impaired". Sadly enough 1 in 11 Canadians over the age of 65 are currently diagnosed with this unforgiving disease, and even worse 71,000 Canadians under the age of 65 are affected. Keeping in mind the Canadian population, that is too many people affected. The American population is much larger than ours and thus 5 MILLION Americans are currently affected by this disease, keeping in mind the amount of individuals who are yet to be diagnosed.
Now, all this information is important but why I chose to blog about this disease as compared to any other illness is that it hits..a little too close to home. This topic came to me as I read a new article in the New York times in which the Food and Drug Administration of the United States has approved a new diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's. The tool is a 'bran scan' that will detect the plaques in the brain that are used to make the Alzheimer diagnosis. The article also mentions that it is the plaques that form, that cause the memory loss in the individual.
So what exactly does this new diagnostic tool mean for patients with Alzheimer's or who have been deemed Alzheimer query? well to be frank, I don't think it means too much for those who will be diagnosed, the only real benefit is early diagnosis which normally in many illnesses means a better prognosis. However due to the lack of treatment for this illness the benfit is still yet to be discovered.
What it does make a difference in is that because this illness can compromise the safety of the individual, for example the individual maybe living alone in which they will have to prepare food for themselves, memory loss during this time can lead to accidents. However with early diagnosis the individual can make living arrangements where their safety won't be as compromised.
Now coming back to the issue of why I am writing this blog is that unfortunately my maternal grandfather is currently suffering from this illness. My grandfather who currently resides in Somalia is being looked after by his daughters and sons (my aunts and uncles). For many years before his Alzheimer's he had been stating that his daughter (my mother) would be coming to see him soon. This summer 17 years after we came to Canada, my mother, brother and I received the opportunity to visit my grandfather. An opportunity that I am glad we were blessed to receive but unfortunately seemed a little too late, as my grandfather did not know who my brother and I were even after we stated who we were the children of..but worse than not recognizing my brother and I he could not recognize or acknowledge who my mother was.
My uncle jokingly reassured us that it was nothing personal that it was very seldom he recognized him despite that fact he stays with most nights.
This reckless disease is a terminal one, meaning that eventually it will cause mortality of the individual. This brings me on the note that there once was a time that mental illnesses were not considered a 'real illnesses', it was believed that it had to be physical. But as you can see here what once starts off a mental illness cause the brain to deteriorate thus triggering many physical illness and finally death.
To end this rather long blog, Alzheimer's is an illness that is frustrating and unbearable not only on the individual suffering from it, but also the caregivers of these individuals. Even worse than the disease it self is the fact that it is genetic!! I pray in this case it doesn't follow through!
-NurseNazz-
