Welcome to Surviving Alzheimer’s: A New Publication
Who Should Read and Why
Alzheimer’s is not a pleasant topic. Most people don’t know how or don’t like to talk about it. It is such a personal disease as it relentlessly robs its victim’s brain of every function — way beyond the generic stereotype of losing one’s memory. Over time, it becomes increasingly isolating, leaving the afflicted and their caregivers feeling alone and helpless — physically and emotionally. This publication wants you to know that you are not alone.
We have a voice. We have a face. We have a name. We will not be defined by this disease. Read, comment, submit your story. We are listening.
Read this pub if you are interested in personal, insightful, sometimes raw, always honest accounts of living with someone with Alzheimer’s. Out of the 6 million (known) people in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s, my wife D is one of the 5% diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease (defined as being diagnosed before the age of 65) — she was 56. Her disease has progressed rapidly over the past 6 years and has had a very emotional (psychiatric) component. I am the Survivor.
Read this pub if you are interested in what it’s like to learn that you are faced with a terminal disease, make choices, embrace quality of life, accept, adapt, and grieve the living.
Read this pub if you have experience with this disease (on any level) and wonder if someone else knows how it feels to navigate and do battle with this relentless enemy. You are not alone.
Read this pub if you’re interested in putting stereotypes and stigma into a real-life perspective.
Read this pub if you’re interested in strategies intended to help navigate the daily pitfalls that the disease inflicts on its host and their caregivers — some with success (for varying amounts of time) while some failed miserably.
Do not read this pub if you are seeking research, clinical trials, medical treatment, or generic advice (there are other sources for those).
And don’t read this pub if you think that publicly sharing something this personal is exploitational or monetizing — I assure you the intent is neither; I know I’m sacrificing privacy (both of ours) to help others feel supported.
I want this to be a safe place to share, so please join us on whatever level that works for you. This is a horrible, tragic, and unfair disease — let’s survive together and strengthen our community.
Surviving Alzheimer’s — Medium
SurvivingAlzheimersatMedium@gmail.com
