In various blogs, I’ve written about Alzeimer’s research, because it’s personal. My mother muddled through the entire, disheartening, humiliating throes of the disease — her struggle lasted for over a decade. My brother and I decided on a closed casket, because this physically beautiful mother of ours was unrecognizable, and we wanted to protect that particular vestige of her dignity.
She passed away last Wednesday — my grief, which was short-circuited because she was “gone” but not deceased, has resumed full throttle. And that is a good thing, because grieving fully is part of the human experience, and is necessary to move on with life.
My grief and pondering over my mother’s exemplary life gives me pause — this is because unless a cure is found, baby boomers with Alzheimer’s will overwhelm the health care system in the United States.
There are so many worthwhile causes to contribute to — the Susan G Komen Foundation, the American Cancer Society, et al. But if there is no progress in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s? Funding for all other deserving foundations will dry up — because Alzheimer’s is a gift that takes and takes and takes. And those afflicted with it will not have the ability to support causes they passionately felt about at some point in their lives. All other causes, in my opinion will suffer as a result.
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