dementia

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Brent Boyd #62

Quoting Brent Boyd, Former Minnesota Viking and founder of Dignity After Football:

“The carnage left behind from decades of NFL concussions is unspeakable. The only thing worse is the NFL’s entrenched stance not to acknowledge or accept responsibility or any liability—as every other American business must adhere to. The NFL, by virtue of compounding billions of dollars each year, is above the law, legally and morally.

I played seven years with the Vikings. I am 52 years old, have been suffering from post-concussions since 1980, and was diagnosed with early dementia and Alzheimer’s at the young age of 49. The NFL insists concussions could not be remotely responsible, despite countless concussions or hitting the rock hard original Astro-Turf. My headaches, total lack of energy (I am reduced to sleeping most of the day after graduating with Honors from UCLA, and being accepted to law school) are only silly coincidences according to the NFL’s corrupt disability system … Continue reading this editorial

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Singer-songwriter Dan Mangan, speaking to Q radio host Jian Ghomeshi about the song Basket:

It’s a bit of an ode to my grandfather. After he passed away, I kind of came up with this idea that your life is a basket, and throughout your life you’re putting greeting cards and letters and notes into this basket. And every story, every  experience that you’ve ever shared gets fueled into this basket that becomes you. And you are shaped by everything that’s ever happened to you or around you. He started to lose his memories, he started to mix things up, he started to call me his own brother’s name, and he’d confuse my brother and I. And I thought, y’know, that’s really tragic, and what do you do when the basket starts falling apart, and all those letters and stories fall to the ground? So the song is about getting old and pissed off, but then at the same time it’s about the redemption, it’s about holding on to those memories.

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Listen to Dan Mangan’s overwhelmingly-moving live performance of his song Basket off the new album “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” (Then go buy Dan’s music on iTunes!):

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Learn more at DanManganMusic.com

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Dr. David E. Thomas is a 60-year-old male physician specializing in psychiatry. He was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) in October 2007, and currently runs this very active, very wonderful blog. Here’s a lighthearted poem about an utterly unfunny subject that recently appeared on Dr. Thomas’ website:

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Forgetter Be Forgotten

My forgetter’s getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke

For when I’m ‘here’ I’m wondering
If I really should be ‘there’
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven’t got a prayer!

Oft times I walk into a room,
Say ‘what am I here for?’
I wrack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.

At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!

When shopping I may see someone,
Say ‘Hi’ and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, ‘who the hell was that?’

Yes, my forgetter’s getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it’s driving me plumb crazy
And that isn’t any joke.

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Quoting Deb Levin, on KnowItAlz.com:

As an artist manager I represented Matt Groening, creator of The Simpson’s cartoons and quadriplegic cartoonist, John Callahan. As part of my work, I shepherded the publication of over 15 books through the representation of very successful New York literary agents and publishers, including William Morrow, Random House, Ballantine Books, and Vintage. I was also able to receive a great amount of publicity for my clients that included a profile on 60 Minutes, People Magazine, Business Week, and the cover story for the Sunday New York Times. Now I am working on a book about my mother living with Alzheimer’s and the stories of others dealing with a loved one affected by this disease. I am looking for real life humorous stories relating to Alzheimer’s for this book, Remembering Alzheimer’s. I want to publish a book about the personal and often humorous side of Alzheimer’s, a dark and serious disease but with a slant that helps the caregiver breathe deeper and survive stronger. I hope that my desire to receive stories that offer laughter is not misconstrued as offensive. My hope is to provide levity. The intent is not to make fun of any one’s situation but hopefully by laughing we will survive easier, talk more openly, and be better caretakers of ourselves and others. My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s several years ago. My mother is not who she used to be, but once I began to see her sense of humor, which still exists, and share her stories—often back at her and often with others, I began to feel healthier. This ability to see the humor and the silliness has allowed me to be with my mother, rather than run away from fear and frustration. I have been a better daughter and have given my mother better care. My mother’s condition is not a secret nor should my mother be a secret. We know the horrors; I want to share the comical which will open doors of the unspoken. I treat my mother with dignity and honor, but I can still see utter madness and craziness of her behavior—which can be very funny.

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Please share your stories with Deborah at http://rememberingalzheimers.typepad.com.

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Read other people’s stories here

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