Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a soul destroying disease, and probably the worst way to end a life imaginable. I had an idiot tell me once that it is the best way to end your life because, all that happens to you is that you forget things, so it’s peaceful and you don’t know what is happening to you. Like I said, he was an idiot. I researched symptoms online, and this is what I found. I’ll get back to the idiot‘s comments later.

Alzheimer’s disease symptoms involve a progressive decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills, starting with mild forgetfulness and advancing to severe dependency. Key warning signs include memory loss disrupting daily life, difficulty solving problems, confusion with time or place, misplacing items, and personality changes.

Key Early Symptoms

Memory Loss: Forgetting recent events, conversations, or important dates, and repeating questions.

Planning/Solving Challenges: Difficulty managing finances, following a familiar recipe, or concentrating on tasks.

Confusion with Time/Place: Losing track of dates, seasons, or getting lost in familiar locations.

Language Difficulties: Struggling to find the right words, calling objects by wrong names, or following conversations.

Misplacing Items: Leaving items in unusual places (e.g., keys in the fridge) and being unable to retrace steps.

Poor Judgment: Making questionable decisions regarding money, hygiene, or safety.

Social Withdrawal: Losing interest in hobbies, work, or social activities.

Progression to Moderate/Advanced Stages

As the disease progresses, symptoms intensify:

Behavioral Changes: Increased confusion, anxiety, depression, suspicion, or aggression.

Physical Decline: Difficulty with routine tasks like dressing, bathing, or swallowing.

Communication Loss: Reduced ability to speak or hold conversations.

Severe Disorientation: Forgetting personal history or inability to recognize friends and family.

It is important to note that these symptoms are not part of normal aging and warrant a medical consultation for proper diagnosis.

So now, back to the idiot. It’s not peaceful, it’s very distressing to the victim. The mother of a close friend had Alzheimers, and at the time was living alone. One day my friend received a phone call that her mother had gone for a walk and did not come home. My friend rushed to her mom’s house and began looking for her. Finally after about 1/2 hour she found her sitting on a park bench 3 blocks from her house. She was crying, exhausted and scared. She was lost, didn’t know where she was or how to go home. She had lived in that neighborhood all her adult life. Luckily she remembered her daughter and was willing to go home with her. Since then she has got lost twice more before my friend placed her in an assisted living facility specializing in Alzheimer patients. Before she died she got progressively worse, finally forgetting her daughter. She became hostile and very aggressive.

I have several friends and some family members that have early onset of Alzheimer’, or have died from Alzheimers. It’s not curable at this time, and hard to watch a loved one go through it. Maybe there is nothing you personally can do, other than pay attention and refer them to a doctor or a specialist organization who can take care of the afflicted sufferer, and make their remaining life as comfortable and worry free as possible or at the very least, help the caregiver Who is looking after them. It must be awful to see your memories of your life slip away from you until you have nothing left.