I hate AD. It is a thief. My family has been hit twice. My mother and grandmother. They both went through life very strong, independent women. My grandma was shaken, but accepted the diagnosis earlier on and took meds to manage the symptoms. She fared better on the symptoms than did mama. She was able to stay in her home with help and family support. Really the time together with her was a greater gift to us, the precious time spent with her is so sacred to me now. Eventually her kidney failing took her from us in 2010. I am not sure it wasn't the AD shutting her body down as well. By this time my mother had received the dreaded diagnosis as well and was struggling with this illness, but had refused doctors care early on and fought to not hear the diagnosis. Due to this, mama did not receive early treatment with this illness. The AD was less kind to mama and affected her more behaviorally and hit her memory harder, and her speech. We lost her right before Christmas in 2013. She had not spoken for over a year, but her eyes talked and she still tried to smile. She never became mean. Both lovely, amazing women. It was hard watching their struggles and truthfully I fear the genetics of it...They were so loved and are so missed. I cherish every moment I had with them, especially at the end. The lesson here to me, is to catch it early so it is at least treatable...I can picture them happy together in Heaven...but I miss them so...

Anonymous
Mexico, MO