My Name is Jeff

My name is Jeff, I am 65 years old, and I have Alzheimer’s disease. At 65 years old or younger Alzheimer’s is considered early onset. When we think about Alzheimer’s, it brings up the image of an elderly person who is unable to remember anything. This person is frail and severely demented. I do not feel or look like that. I have an unusual version of Alzheimer’s disease called Posterior Cortical Atrophy (or PCA) Alzheimer’s. My first symptoms started about 4 years ago and are slowly progressing. This is characteristic of PCA Alzheimer’s. I hope to be lucky enough to avoid severe dementia for another 5 years.

 

Before this disease raised its ugly head, I had a 40-year career as a veterinarian. Much of my time was spent talking to pet owners in simple terms about medicine and surgery. Alzheimer’s forced me into retirement. Since that time, I find myself without much to do except go to doctor’s appointments. Frankly, I’m bored.

 

I am starting this blog for a few reasons. One, I feel I can be of help to Alzheimer’s caretakers. Two, and perhaps most importantly, I might be of help by writing about Alzheimer’s from a patient’s perspective. I also hope that this endeavor will fill my empty days and give me a purpose. I feel better on days when I am active. I feel better when I use my mind with success. Afterall, I can say with certainty that a mind is a terrible thing to waste and a scary thing to lose.

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