Alzheimers- Frightening

Alzheimer’s and cancer terrify me—and I know I’m not alone. Sadly, I’ve had far too much personal experience with both. I’ve watched my father slowly transform from a vibrant, brilliant man into someone who no longer knows where he is, who we are, or what his life once was. Thankfully, his Alzheimer’s didn’t strike early; it crept in more gradually, beginning in his late 80s.

 Alice on the other hand is a fifty-year-old cognitive psychology professor at Harvard, an expert on how the brain works, frequently called upon to present on her area of expertise. One day during a presentation, she finds that she is at a loss for words and momentarily loses her train of thought.  Shortly after this episode she goes for a run, one that she has down countless times.  She stops at a usual place when she decides to head for home, she realizes she does not know where she is.  Alarmed, she makes an appointment with her physician who delivers the devastating news.

 Alzheimer’s! The irony is heart wrenching.  A woman who has spent her entire career studying the mind is now facing a disease she knows all too well. From there the author takes us through how Alice copes with this diagnosis, as well as how her husband and children navigate the disease with her.  

What struck me most was Alice’s plan for dealing with the overwhelming changes ahead. And it left me with several lingering questions. One being, if you make a plan for something like this… can you truly carry it out? 

It certainly is a lot to think about.  This book is not new, having been published in 2009. But if you have not read it you may want to pick it up, it is a good book.  I prefer it to the movie.   Feel free to leave comments.