Alzheimer's and Dementia are diseases that marginally impacted my life.  I witnessed a Great Aunt Ruth that had Alzheimer's in her early to mid-60's and my wife's Grandmother Sally that had Alzheimer, but it never really hit home until 2019 when my mother got into multiple wrecks and started showing unusual behaviors over a period of 6 months.  My sibling and I teamed together to get answers.  We set up an appointment and evaluation at the MARS Clinic in Wilmington, NC.  After the doctors at the MARS Clinic fully evaluated Mom, we received the news that she had been diagnosed with Cortical Dementia. She was 73 years old.  Cortical Dementia (also knows as Posterior Cortical Atrophy) severely effects the ability to do any activity that involves a processes.  So pretty much everything!  We are able to get her in front of a Neurologist in Wilmington and start treatment.  The gradual decline of Mom's emotions, ability to physically do things and now having major effects in speech have been very difficult to witness.  My sibling and I worked quickly to prepare for next steps and consistently communication and support Mom in many caregiving actions, such as:  full-time Financial and Healthcare Power of Attorney, more sophisticated Estate Planning, managing caregiving, home upkeep and maintenance, diet management, physical therapy / Palliative care oversight, fall risk analysis and home footprint changes, and the list goes on and on.  The challenges we face are not only with the decline in our beloved Mothers health but as managing caregivers, we struggle with life balance and time management for ourselves as we all have our own businesses and family/spouses.  As a team we are thankful for each other and how well we work together for the betterment of Mom.  In closing, Mom is a special person, that while growing up there were many times where she really struggled to makes ends meat and keep things together for us.  Now it is our turn to be her lean post and we are wearing that badge.  

My ask - please consider supporting this important cause.  Improvements in education, early detection, treatments and family resources are so critical that are provided with the funding of the Alzheimer's Association.  Help be apart of the solution!

Gracias!

In Memory:  Aunt Ruth & Grandma Sally

In honor:  Mom