alzheimers news-get rid of this word

ALZHEIMERS NEWS-GET RID OF THIS WORD

i was determined to make it for this alzheimers panel this
weekend
last week i had what i think was the flu for several days
on friday as it was better
the gi stuff set it
i knew that this could happen with the flu
then
when i recovered from that
a tooth began to hurt
having had a lot of root canals i knew what that meant
another one in my future
so
i found left over meds from my oral surgery two years
ago and started them

by saturday morning i was all maxed out on those meds
i timed the pain pill so it would be almost wore off
by the time i started the conference

this saturday
the alzheimers greater los angeles had an all day conference
on early memory loss
they had an elder lawyer talk
they had a well known alzheimers researcher from usc talk
then
they had the panel that i was on
all folks with early alzheimers except for me
since my diagnosis is
early mild cognitive impairment probably due to alzheimers disease

i only stayed around for our panel
since i needed more pain meds afterwards

now i have been on a lot of alzheimers panels with
researchers neurologists caregivers social workers writers etc
i was usually the only patient on the panels
but
i dont ever remember
theres that word
remember
having seen a panel of just patients
telling their stories of
how they were diagnosed
how it affects them and their families

i will say there was a lot of crying going on
on the panel and in the audience

near the end of the hour and half
we were all asked by the moderator
what would you like to tell those of us here in the audience
what would you like to tell others

this one man with early onset alzheimers disease
said
please get this word out of your vocabulary
remember

dont ask me if i remember
i dont he said
please dont ask

all of those on the panel agreed
no more remember questions

let that sink in
if you have a loved one affected
dont ask


also
when asked
what good is there in getting diagnosed
we all said there was some good

i said i was able to prepare for the future
i said now i know where i stand
i said i can handle that

others said he is much closer to his wife now
others said he is taking better of his heatlh
others said he is exercising more taking long walks
others said he is enjoying life more right now
i said i understand that
others said he renewed his hobby of writing and raising orchids
others said he married his long time partner
others said he continues to exercise and not let this slow him down

i said to my wife she as i left
thats the best most memorable panel that i ever
remember

the organicgreen doctor