I Am A Mother, And My Daughter Has Alzheimer’s

“Mom, I have Alzheimer’s and I want to say goodbye to you because soon I won’t be able to do it”; this is what Mari told her mother after discovering that at just 48 years old, she suffered from this disease. Alzheimer’s has always been a disease associated with old age. However, it is increasingly present in young people.

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that causes cognitive deterioration and the degeneration of certain vital functions. Its main consequence is memory loss which, as the disease progresses, causes more serious forgetfulness such as the inability to recognize members of one’s own family. People over 65 are the most likely to get this disease.

A few years ago, we said to ourselves that it was the children who would see their parents suffer from this disease and that it could only happen in that sense, but the roles have changed and many are parents today. who have to take care of their children with Alzheimer’s disease.

Jason was a young American barely 36 years old, very lively and very hardworking. However, when he was 35, he started having to write notes on his hands to remember things, he couldn’t stick to the schedules, and one day he even got lost on his way home. In 2012, he didn’t even manage to decorate his house with Christmas lights.

He was feeling very confused, he was starting to doubt everything, and he then made the decision to go see a psychologist, who referred him to a neuro-psychologist. After many tests, the diagnosis was clear: Jason had Alzheimer’s at the age of 36. Eventually from there things went really fast and he died a year later, in 2013.

The cases of Jason and Mari are not isolated; Indeed, early Alzheimer’s syndrome tears from the lives of many young people who have just started a family, who have already achieved their goals and who are struck by the disease as they look to the future with their eyes filled with the illusion of living. new experiences.

However, this disease can begin to manifest itself with small forgetfulness as well as memory problems that are considered normal. However, it can be a preliminary sign of a diagnosis, the causes of which are not yet clear.

Another important question about Alzheimer’s is its origin; there are different controversies, since rare are the people who, due to genetics or family history, suffer from this disease. However, this is something that can be taken into account. Also, Alzheimer’s can be associated with a traumatic event, both physical and psychological, or with type 2 diabetes.

“I don’t know what I want”, “I forget things very quickly”, “When people ask me why I ask the same question several times, I am ashamed and I lock myself in the bathroom to cry” ; this is what Carmen Garcia, a 54-year-old university professor, explains about her experience of the disease.

The first warning symptoms can be very subtle, as long as they are given the importance they deserve. However, one should pay attention to them, as they can be the preliminary sign of the onset of this disease at an early age. What should we trust?

• We forget recently learned information and we need more and more help remembering things (dates, events, etc.)
• Difficulty concentrating, problem solving and doing things quickly
• We have problems driving or paying the bills
• We are disoriented, both in time and in space
• We have trouble handling the vocabulary, finding a synonym or even saying a word
• We no longer take initiatives and we present mood swings

For many parents, the world around them falls apart when they learn that their children have Alzheimer’s. Even if they are aware of the reality, they cannot help but cry. Alzheimer’s is a very complicated disease for which there is still no effective treatment. Before, it was the elderly and only the elderly who suffered from it, but now the younger generations are also affected.

Our thoughts

Find out more about Alzheimer’s and especially about the signals that can alert one of your loved ones to its possible presence.