Week 9 Blog

The Forgetting.

After watching “The Forgetting” it’s really hard to shake what you’ve just watched. The sad stories seem so far away for most young people but the truth is, unfortunately, this could be the future for many of us. With a rapidly growing population of people affected by this awful disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease or family of diseases that cause serious loss of memory, cognitive and behavioral changes. The hippocampus is the first part of the brain effected, damaging synapses, and destroying memories. The disease continues to destroy neurons, shrinking the brain. The loss of synapses causes loss of new thoughts, personality’s changes, emotional mood swings, and basic functions are ravaged. The stages can drag out for up to twenty years or as short as eight years. Typical onset for this disease at age 60. With a typical age of retirement in the United States at age 61, and many medical problems beginning around the same age I wonder if it’s really any fair? Of course life is not fair I understand that but it seems unfortunate to spend your whole life working, having a family, making money, to retire at an age in which you cannot enjoy it.

My mom did not have Alzheimer’s but she did have chemo and radiation for 8 years off and on and I experienced a lot of personality changes, mood swings etc. when caring for her and that was definitely a challenge. It was emotionally, physically and spiritually draing.  I cannot imagine what it’s like for families caring for individuals suffering from this disease. Along the challenges of caring for the disease comes the likelihood that future generations will also suffer from the disease. Having the gene for early onset Alzheimer’s gives a likelihood of 50% percent of having the disease.

Currently there is not cure for Alzheimer’s, there are medications to treat symptoms but still no cure.

If I had unlimited finances I would like to conduct research on how to eradicate this disease. Find options for prevention, and ways to treat symptoms.