Alzheimer's sucks.......

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Lost my uncle today to the disease. He went from a relatively normal person to dead in 15 months. He married my aunt when I was younger and really brought a fun personality to the family. He was a long time Jayhawk fan who loved to come into the family gatherings and stir the pot in a pro-Mizzou family. Great guy who taught at several universities including the University of Iowa. Amazing how the disease can take such an intelligent person and tear him to pieces in such a short time.

RIP Uncle Bill

William G. Sparks, III obituary: William G. Sparks, III's Obituary, Topeka (http://penwellgabeltopeka.com/obituary-pg.asp?src=choice&obitid=54331&name=William+G%2E++Sparks%2C+III&city=Topeka&st=KS)

[CrimsonFox]

very sorry.... :(

My dad's been going thorugh something like that. I think it's just senility and forgetfulness not full alzeimers but now sure. Either way it's just kinda depressing.

[Rizon]

I've only met one person with Alzheimer's and that was enough. I visited family where my great uncle was, and watching him be unable to recall things, go into frustration and then burst into tears was hard to watch. Terrible disease.

[CleBrownsfan]

Sorry to hear MBBF :(

My thoughts are with you and your family....

[JediKooter]

Sorry to hear about your uncle MBBF.

Lost a grandpa to it a couple of years ago.

[RomaGoth]

Yes, Alzheimer's does indeed suck. My stepmother's mom died from it several years ago, and now she has been showing signs of it the past 2-3 years. It is very difficult to watch someone afflicted with Alzheimer's, especially before it becomes full-blown and they know they have it.

Sorry for your loss MBBF.

[lighthousekeeper]

already lost a mother in law and step mom to it. horrible disease.

[Matthean]

I'm pretty sure I would rather have cancer. My grandmother has it. On the more recent side, she said she had never been to McDonald's or had french fries with ketchup.

[sabotai]

He went from a relatively normal person to dead in 15 months.

Had a friend of the family go through this a few years ago. It's scaring just how fast it can take someone.

[sabotai]

dola,

I'm pretty sure I would rather have cancer.

After seeing it twice, once with my great grandmother when I was younger (it took her relatively slow) and the family friend that was taken pretty quickly, there's no question that I'd rather have just about anything else. Alzhemer's, and dementia in general, scares the crap out of me.

[PilotMan]

It's a terrible, terrible disease. My Grandfather died from it as well. It's painful to see the slow transformation that your loved one goes through. If there is any silver lining at all, it is that he was taken in relatively short order. My Grandpa held on for 6 years before he was allowed to slip into the night. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. You are in my thoughts.

[the_meanstrosity]

Sorry to hear about your uncle, MBBF. Thoughts and prayers for your family in this tough time.

[frnk55]

Yeah it sucks big time. Lost my grandma to it and it just so sad seeing her lost in another world.

[Kodos]

Really sorry to hear this. Such an awful disease.

[thesloppy]

Ugh, sorry to hear, MBBF. Alzheimer's does suck, and it's so, so painful to watch the decay/dementia destroy someone you love. Condolences to you and your family.

...as much as Alzheimer's sucks, and is utterly terrifying to see in action, it is at least still fractionally better than advanced, severe Parkinson's disease, as far as I can tell, by the relative examples set by my GPs. I'd totally take the cancer over either of those (though, it doesn't look like I've got much choice, and I certainly don't mean to denigrate how hard it is to go through/see someone in your family with cancer).

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

...as much as Alzheimer's sucks, and is utterly terrifying to see in action, it is at least still fractionally better than advanced, severe Parkinson's disease, as far as I can tell, by the relative examples set by my GPs.

And unfortunately, this one hits me as well. My father in law, who owns the property where I manage the family winery, is about eight years into a Parkinson's diagnosis. He's thankfully still working and keeping busy, which helps with Parkinson's patients. But when he doesn't take his meds on time, he gets to be in pretty rough shape. He eats terribly and chain smokes, so I'd guess one of those two things will take him in some form before the Parkinson's does. At least that's what we hope because the alternative isn't a good one.

In addition, both diseases are partially genetic diseases. It's not a guarantee that a child will get it, but there's certainly a higher incidence in children. I'm hopeful that my wife and children don't have the same issues, but thankful that the meds and treatment of Parkinson's have improved quite a bit over the past 20-30 years to improve quality of life if it is needed.

[MizzouRah]

So sorry MBBF.. :(

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Just an update on my father-in-law (see post #16 in this thread). My father-in-law has passed the winery to his daughters at this point (my wife and her sister). He has now lived with us since 2013. He had a heart attack and required a quadruple bypass to save his life.

He now works one day a week for about five hours, but that exhausts him. My wife works five days a week, so his care falls mostly in my hands. He's generally able to get around OK and make his own food, but spills/messes occur a few times a day, so there's always things to clean up. The run by the Royals over the last couple of years has been fun for him. Baseball is wonderful in that it's an every day thing that he can look forward to for a good portion of the year and it keeps him occupied for a few hours each day.

He's experiencing mild to moderate dementia. As an example, yesterday I put my kids on the bus around 8:00 am and went to the winery. Around 9:00 am, I get a call from him. He tells me that he just wanted to let me know that the white car pulled up in front of the house and he took my daughter outside and put her in the car to go to school. I'm obviously not worried since I know my daughters are at school. However, I have little doubt that he actually walked outside and went through the motions exactly as he described. A few weeks ago, he asked me why all his dead friends were sitting at our dining room table with their legs amputated. He also insists that he was diagnosed with the disease two years ago, when in fact it was around 12 years ago. It's like he's lost 10 years when dealing with time frames.

He's lost most of his friends at this point, mainly due to a side effect of Parkinson's known as hypersexuality. In short, he has no moral guidance in his head. He'll stare at women and say inappropriate things all the time in public. We even had an incident of inappropriate touching, but thankfully, the lady was understanding of the situation. I'm getting an excellent education of what a teenage boy acts like if nothing else. This makes his situation worse, because he feels trapped in the house (we had to take away his driver's license through a process with the Missouri Highway Patrol due to unsafe driving and multiple accidents).

Caring for a declining adult is a horrible thing to deal with, but I have no choice in the matter. His other daughter lives on the East Coast, so we're his only option. He burned all his money, so he has no money to live at any type of care facility. So we keep going knowing that we clearly are going to reach a point where us caring for him isn't an option anymore. I never wish ill on people, but I do hope that he's able to go quickly at some point. I think he's a pretty tortured soul at this point and I don't think he's enjoying life in any way. He's only 71, but he looks like he's at least 85.

[Kodos]

It's such a terrible disease. Takes away everything that you once were. I'd much rather get hit by a bus and have it over quick than experience mental decline. We lost my mother to dementia a year-and-a-half ago. It was so bad watching her become a shell of her former self. And the personality changes were awful too. She became combative and blamed my poor father for all her problems. Awful way to go.

[MizzouRah]

It's a horrible disease and your a wonderful person to care for him when it's clearly a struggle each day. :(

[TCY Junkie]

My mom helped take.care.of her mom for 10 years. I drove my mom 3 hours on Friday every weekend for years to see her mom and relieve my uncle. Then last two years of her mother life was spent with my mom. I would come by a couple.hours.a day to cheer my mom up mostly. It was like my grandmother wasn't even in there 90 percent of time. Didn't even think of her as.my grandmother so I could help my mom better. It was terrible thing for anyone to go through. She died at age 88. Had her heart checked out at 85 and told.it was strong as a 30 year old. But the last 6 months she would not eat, got weak and a little.cold got her. Keep doing the right thing as long as you can.

[frnk55]

Lost my grandma and now my uncle has it. Sorry to hear Mizz

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Marty Schottenheimer battles Alzheimer’s disease | ProFootballTalk (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/10/28/marty-schottenheimer-battles-alzheimers-disease/)

[Kodos]

That sucks. We need science to figure this out and stop it.

[Castlerock]

I lost my Dad today to Alzheimer's. He has had it for about 10 years. The last 3 have been particularly bad. Towards the end, he didn't know where the bathroom was in a house that he built with his own hands and lived in for over 50 years. Or even how to use the bathroom. He would tell my Mom (his wife) "I need to go find my wife". He needed 24 hour a day supervision. This fell entirely on my mom. He would be up multiple times per night so she rarely slept. The man that I knew and loved was slowly and painfully taken away. My mom was also taken away as she could barely care for him. She had nothing left for herself. Or anyone else.

My dad was one of 6 children. Of the six, 4 have died of Alzheimer's. One died in a car crash at 55 so we will never know if he would have developed it. Only one has made it to old-age without developing it. He also had many aunts, uncles and cousins with it as well. I am terrified of my future.

I love you Dad. I'll miss you more than I have the words for.

[Edward64]

Sorry to hear about your dad Castlerock.

[Thomkal]

Man so sorry about your Dad CR. I've been there with my Dad-he suffered with a Parkinson's like disease for many years before we had to move him to a nursing home. Watching this fishing-loving, vegetable garden growing man slowly degenerate into a man who basically couldn't move or talk at the end was pretty devastating to experience. So I know some of what you are going through here. Only advice i can give is to look at the beginning of my message here where I start with the happy memories of him, of which I'm sure you have many and try to focus on those before moving to the sad memories. Consider yourself (((hugged)))

[Lathum]

Man, words can't describe. Sorry for your loss and the suffering you are clearly enduring.

[JPhillips]

Tough news CR. Take care. Even when you know it's coming, it's tough to lose a parent.

[GrantDawg]

Sorry to hear Castlerock. My mom's had severe dementia for over ten years now. I have the same fear of it affecting me. It is terrifying.

[cuervo72]

Sorry, CR.

[rjolley]

Condolences to you and your family, Castlerock.

[thesloppy]

So sorry, CR. That sounds so hard.

[albionmoonlight]

I am sorry for your loss

[tarcone]

So sorry, CR. My Mom had the beginnings of it until she fell and got a blood infection and died. I cannot imagine seeing her degenerate into a shell of herself.

[Kodos]

So sorry for your loss. We lost my Mom the same way. Such a terrible way to go. :(

[JediKooter]

Very sorry to hear about your dad, Castlerock. Such an insidious disease and don't wish it on anyone.

[MizzouRah]

Terrible Castlerock.. so sorry for your loss.

[PilotMan]

Castlerock I am sorry to hear of your loss. Alzheimers does suck. I lost my grandfather to it, and the worst part of the disease is that it steals slowly. It takes the person and it takes their heart, and it leaves a wreck of despair in it's wake for family. I am sorry that you've lost your father. Your mother is a saint.