If you know me very well, you know that I am very involved in supporting the Alzheimer's Association. In 2010, I got the Alzheimer's Association to allow me to organize a Memory Walk for Wabash County. I organized numerous fundraisers and the walk by myself. I have a small committee for the Walk to End Alzheimer's (new walk name) this year and we have already had our first fundraiser for the year, Bagger for a Day, which we raised almost $700 at. In 2010 we raised $6,000 for our walk...in 2011 our goal is $12,000!
What you may not know WHY I'm so involved and passionate about the Alzheimer's Association...
Almost 10 years ago, my great-grandma, Goldie Wilkinson, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. My family allowed her to stay in her home for almost a year before moving her to the Alzheimer's Unit in the United Methodist Village in Lawrenceville, IL because it was no longer safe for her to live alone. At the time, I was around 13 years old and didn't fully understand what was going on but I was very upset about my grandma being put into the nursing home.
As time passed, I learned more about Alzheimer's Disease by doing reports and such in high school. When I was in college I did presentations on Alzheimer's Disease, also. I understand just about every aspect of the disease now...that doesn't make it any easier to watch the woman I once knew become no one. If you have never known someone with the disease and have never had to be around the effects of it, you need to thank God every day!
These are the different stages of Alzheimer's Disease in my definition. It starts out as what seems to be simple forgetfulness, but progresses into odd forgetfulness like forgetting where they live or who you are. And in what seems like no time at all, your loved one can no longer recognize your face, your name, your voice, or even your love. There becomes a point when your loved one becomes fearful of everything and nothing can comfort them, communication is usually very little at this point. My great-grandma is to this stage. She very rarely speaks, is terrified of having her hair cut/nails painted/baths, eats very little, walks very little, and can no longer recognize the urge to use the bathroom.
The final stage of Alzheimer's Disease usually moves most sufferers from the Alzheimer's care unit into the end of life care unit of a nursing home or into the hospital depending on how fast the final stage progresses and facility policy. Alzheimer's Disease causes the brain to deteriorate, scans of a person's brain with Alzheimer's is extremely smaller in size than a normal brain, and in turn causes the body's functions to stop. Walking and using the bathroom are usually the first to go due to weakness and/or instability. The body eventually is unable to function and shuts down causing death. The process of Alzheimer's can take as little as a couple years up to 30 some years. There was a woman in the same unit as my grandma who battled the disease for over 20 years before her battle was over.
Now that you understand how Alzheimer's progresses, I'll catch you up on my life and how Alzheimer's has affected it.
My great-grandma's brother, Loren Gerrish, also has Alzheimer's Disease now. Having multiple people with the disease in your family raises your risk of developing the disease in the future even higher. When Tim and I began dating in 2005 I learned that his grandma, Lee Haug, had just recently developed the disease. So, now that we are married (4 years in September 2011) I worry about our future children because Alzheimer's is on both sides of our family.
So, these are the reasons I am passionate about supporting the Alzheimer's Association: my great-grandma has the disease, her brother has the disease, Tim's grandma has the disease, and I want to find a cure so I don't have to worry about my Dad/Tim & I/our future children getting the disease. My dream is a world without Alzheimer's!
Tim's grandma, Lee Haug, lost her battle with Alzheimer's Disease this afternoon. It may sound odd to you that I thank God her medical issues took her home to be with the Lord before her short battle with Alzheimer's did, especially if you've never been around the disease. But I ask that you go back and read through my description of the stages again, do your own research, or go volunteer at an Alzheimer's unit before you think I'm a horrible person. God blessed Lee with taking her home today, I pray every day He'll bless my great-grandma with the same thing. No one should ever have to go through this disease, no one should ever have to realize that no matter how much you love your spouse they can no longer accept or return that love, no child should ever have to care for a parent who no longer recognizes them, and no grandchild should have to become aware of this horrible disease by losing the person they always knew as their grandparent.
I will support the Alzheimer's Association until the Lord takes me home and I hope you will, too!
www.alz.org
www.walktoendalz.kintera.org/wabashcounty2011
Rest in peace, Grandma Haug! I hope all your cherished memories have been returned to you. <3
