If I ruled the world, I would have two wars only

[Laura PourMeADrink]

One against cancer and one against Alzheimer's.

My uncle died on Sunday. He thought the busy street in front of his house was the ocean.

My dad, after 16 years of gradual memory loss, is on the verge of advanced Alzheimer's. He still
drives to the store and to the barber. He still goes bowling and still pulls a slot machine arm (although
he tries to put real quarters in, which ended years ago). But, at night, he becomes so disoriented. Strangely,
just days before his brother died he thought his brother had indeed died. He was obsessed and worried he
wasn't dressed right for a funeral.

My dad had 5 brothers, all who have died of some form of dementia.

All left kind and caring wives who bravely watched all the memories of their happy
lives be forgotten.

My wish...that we pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan COMPLETELY and earmark every single war dollar
to finding a cure for these horrible diseases. And I say to all on the religious right, trust me,
if there is a god, I think he/she would want it that way

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My deepest condolences for your losses...

I second your sentiments...

:hug:

[Drale]

2. If you wish to rule the world

you must be prepared for war constantly. But thats neither here nor there, I'm very sorry for you loss.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

4. well, would have definitely not waged a war in Afghanistan nor Iraq

so Kosovo thru 1999 would have been the last for sure. thanks for your kind words.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. If Greed didn't dictate our World ,Disease would be the only enemy.

Sorry for your loss.

[kathysart_decoration]

5. I know what you're going through

My dad has dementia related to Parkinson's Disease. Currently in a nursing home, but I was living with him for the 5 years before he ended up in the medical system. He would not give up his driver's license, though I managed to get it restricted. Didn't help much. He ended up outside of Chicago at a shopping mall (we're in a suburb of Milwaukee)one Saturday night after leaving the house to take the dog to the dog park several miles from home that afternoon. That driving stuff is seriously dangerous. The interesting thing is that one of his sisters (now dead)had Alzheimer's and she also lived in Milwaukee area and one day also drove to a suburb of Chicago and had to be rescued by her family.
Even after he ended up in the hospital I had an extremely difficult time getting his license revoked. I wanted to bring him back home but couldn't do that until I got rid of the license.
I wish I could have brought him back home but it didn't work out that way. He still knows who I am, but he mostly doesn't make sense when he talks. This is a man who was highly educated and too smart for his own good.
You probably know this, but that nighttime change in mood, etc. is called "sundowning" and is something that goes with the territory of dementia. My dad is a different person in the morning than he is at dinner. He is more tired and agitated.
I wish you the best in getting through this and couldn't agree more with your idea about where our money is going. It is not just a shame, it is a sin and unconscionable.