health wanted

Istill remember when this awful disease came into our lives.

My grandfather completely changed on the outside to others, but not to me.

I knew the man who was inside. He was still the awesome, fun loving man who would give you the shirt off his back. I was truly blessed to have him in my life. He taught me so many things.

But, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t emotionally torn apart when this started happening to him.

One moment we would be in full conversation and laughing, and the next he had forgotten who I was. Do you know how hard it is to try and explain who you are to someone, especially a loved one?

It is something you would never imagine happening, but does to many people every day.

There are three stages - preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and finally, Alzheimer’s dementia. In the beginning, the brain begins to change the nerve cells with no symptoms showing.

Then, memory and thinking problems that wouldn’t occur normally with your age begin to show.

Finally, you will have memory loss, difficulties with words, visual and spatial issues that can impair an individual.

If you start to notice these changes with a loved one or friend, find a local Alzheimer’s Association area agency for help today. They have neuropsychological testing available for diagnosis.

For more info, visit www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers .

Next week: Computer use can be dangerous