Читать книгу ALZHEIMER'S: Don's Faithful Journey - Kyle Talbott - Страница 3

Alzheimer’s disease is not as foreign to hear about as it was when I was diagnosed over a decade ago. However, most of the information you hear about is secondhand or third party. I have yet to see an Alzheimer’s patient write a book about what it is like to actually live with the disease for over a decade. It dawned on me that I have a story to tell. I want to tell it before I am no longer able, so I finally sat down to share my perspective on living with Alzheimer’s disease in the first-person with the help of my son. For a very long time, I felt a desire to put all of my experiences into a cohesive collection. My hope for this book is to provide assistance with understanding this disease, and provide insight about experiences that may help those going through similar ones. I did not always feel this way. Initially, I had a long struggle with my diagnosis and often contemplated, “What now?” I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to find a purpose to live, instead of a reason to be angry.

During the early years of my Alzheimer’s diagnosis, I quickly discovered it was not a topic discussed very much. One common misconception I heard a lot concerned the age of an Alzheimer’s patient. Only older people have Alzheimer’s disease, right? I am here to tell you that is false. A lot has evolved in Alzheimer’s discussions over the last ten years, but one fact remains…there is no cure. My goal is very simple. I want to help educate everyone I possibly can on Alzheimer’s disease, and what it can feel like living with the disease.

Sundowners syndrome is only one of the “symptoms” an Alzheimer’s patient has to battle with the disease. The Alzheimer’s patient may become terrified at the onset of sunset because it opens up a world of unknowns that are filled with fear. Is someone outside? Did I hear something? What is that noise? After reading this book, my goal is for you to understand more about the daily life of someone living with the terrible disease we refer to as Alzheimer’s disease. You never know when the disease could strike in your own family and friends’ circle. Prepare yourself with knowledge that will allow you to better understand some of the behaviors and/or patterns that you will see with Alzheimer’s patients.

People with Alzheimer’s may find an outlet to communicate, such as drawing, painting or writing. They are all activities that allow expressiveness without verbal communication. I enjoy writing poetry, and I believe it allows me the opportunity to explain and express my ideas. You will see many of my poems throughout this book, and they are all original works. This book will provide a lot of insight for caregivers, families, friends, and the community on the struggles of living with Alzheimer’s. Though I will not label myself an expert, I know first-hand what living with Alzheimer’s disease entails. After all, I have been doing it now for over a decade. I can also confirm Sundowners syndrome is real, and it is not any fun at all.

SUNDOWN

The sun and moon make their rounds,

Two, three, four surely by now,

Raindrops falling hit the ground,

I try to count them to cover the sounds

Of what’s at hand, the dark you know,

It covers the land…

The creeks and cracks that darkness brings,

What I would do to hear a bird sing,

A sign for sure that night is gone,

Everything wakes I'm not alone,

My eyes closed tight I try to sleep,

But something won't let me…

I had better go look…

I wander around in the dark with no aim,

Only to check things, to see they're the same,

No danger, no strangers, all is at ease,

Except me, of course, who can't shake this disease.

I'm not afraid of being sick, or even dying;

That’s not worth all the crying,

I have the faith and trust I need,

God has promised my soul to be free.

This torture though is hard to bear,

I must move forward, without any fear,

And wait for those sounds…

Again to appear.

Though you may not know anyone living with Alzheimer’s disease personally, I would dare say that will change during your lifetime. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. It is estimated by mid-century, the number will develop into one person every 33 seconds (Alzheimer's Association, 2019). Unfortunately, there is currently no known cure for this terrible disease. After you read my first-person account of living with Alzheimer’s, my hope is that you will implore patience, kindness, and understanding to those living with the disease. In addition, I hope that caregivers and families will have better insight of what their loved one may be going through, during the process of living with the disease. Finally, it is my biggest hope that one day soon the cure for this terrible disease will be found. Until such a day exists, be kind to one another and remain patient.