A Personal Story

Sometimes, there are times when a more personal commentary is appropriate, especially when my personal story is also the story of millions of others. Today is such a time.

My parents, especially my Mom, has been dealing with the curse of the elderly, called Alzheimer's. A few years ago, my Dad was diagnosed with very early stages of this dreaded disease, and until now, was treated with medication to keep it from advancing as rapidly as it had for many others. He was highly functional, albeit one knew that he had it because he was unable to perform tasks like drive a car or play golf.

But last week, my Mom thought he had a stroke because he no longer could carry a dish or a cup of coffee without dropping it. This made sense, since over the last 10 years or so, he would have a TIA or Transient Ischemic Attack, essentially a mini-stroke, randomly which would cause him to fall or drop things without warning.

So, of course, my Mom and sister took him to the hospital. After several hours of observation and tests determining what was wrong, the conclusion was reached that his Alzheimer's had advanced.

Millions of other spouses and children deal with this nightmare all the time. We have seen a  President, entertainers, politicians, their families,  and our friends and neighbors deal with this for years. We need to draw our strength and our courage from the examples these people have demonstrated.

It is not easy to see a loved one spiral down a hole from which there is no escape. We need to be more compassionate, more kind, more understanding to those who suffer from this disease and to those who need to support them. We can hope that someday a discovery will be made to determine who may develop this disease long before it strikes and can be treated to prevent its onset.

Before night descends forever on my Dad, I want to say, "I love you, Dad. You are a strong man who has had his faults as so many of us do. But you are also an inspiration to your wife, your children and to your friends, who have admired you as a man and as a father. You did nothing to deserve this."