This disease is now the most expensive in America! Over 5 million individuals in the US have Alzheimer's or some form of Dementia.
This disease does not discriminate by color, religion, politics, sex or status.
There is still no cure, and it is estimated right now there are 35.6 million people with this disease. That number was in 2010. It's heart breaking to watch, and I know all to well first hand about this awful disease because of my beloved grandma Bev. She lost her battle on February 24, 2012 while cradled in my arms like a baby.
My Grandma Bev was diagnosed in 2000. At first the changes and forgetfulness were not that noticeable She was still her fun loving self. Laughed at life in general. Didn't take to many things to seriously, loved to ski in the winter and hike in the summer. Maintained healthy lifestyle. Always got her hair colored because she didn't like having any grey hair. She was a independent, strong, fun loving woman whom had married three times, had one child and one grand child (me). She helped raise me. I spent all my summers with her. She took me cloths shopping each school year. Taught me to say please and thank you. Told me how to introduce myself an shake a persons hand. She always wanted me to pick up her knack for skiing, but she knew deep down I was a pageant girl at heart. She loved to tell her friends about how hard "Brooke" worked with my jobs in the medical field as I worked my way through college. Grandma would occasionally pay for my school books or send me some extra money for school. As I got older we saw each other at least twice a year when she traveled back and fourth to her Oregon home to her Arizona home. We talked on the phone several times a week.
As the years progressed so did her disease. It was very hard for me to see this strong loving woman go back into a child like state. The fist time I saw her at the memory care facility, she would smile, I would cry. She didn't know my name some of the days.. She would have moments where she did "know me", but other times would sit and smile and me. My heart broke each time I had to say goodbye. I would watch her stair at me behind a locked door in the facility because that is where she had to be due to the progression of her disease. She was in the lock down ward of the memory care facility.
I want to tell you more about her and different life events so that people get to know her and remember her. And so I begin my blog with this glimpse of her. Some images of her and I. I hope to post more about her, and other people.
Grandma and I. She was on her way to Arizona and had stopped in Reno to see me for a couple days. 10/31/2005. She watched me in the Nevada day Parade this day.
Grandma, Grant (my son) and I. Her only great grand child. This was my 1st visit with her in her new assisted living 09/2011
Grandma and I at a fair in Seattle, Washington. 1985. I was about 4 years old.
