This article has no interest in the history of the disease or how it got its name. Also, this is not a medically approved article. It is simply my own thoughts about avoiding losing my own memory due to the sickness which is in my family.
I remember as a teenaged boy that we visited my grandmother about an hour's drive away. Grandpa had already died so Grandma was living alone. Some of my aunts and uncles lived very near to her but not with her. One of the last times we went to Grandma's house was significant. She did not always recognize her children and grandkids. She said things about Grandpa being gone quite late that day, that he should be coming home soon.
One of my aunts told my mom that Grandma had been caught burning her trash inside her kitchen instead of outside. They were afraid she would burn the house down. Thus, Mom reported all of this information to my father when we got home. The two of them decided that they should offer to take Grandma into our home for her own safety.
I got to see firsthand what Alzheimer's is like. Grandma's inconsistent memory and lack of common sense at times was due to Alzheimer's Disease. She lived the rest of her life in our home.
Years later, after my father died, my mother moved in with me and my son. Her mind was normal until she had to be hospitalized with a severe case of the flu. When she got out of the hospital, she became easily disoriented. Her condition worsened rather rapidly so we had to have a girl come into the home when I worked to watch over Mom. She had quickly gone from normal to often incompetent. I remember having to help her to undress some mornings and put her underwear under her clothing instead of wearing her bra on the outside.
Alzheimer's is in my family so it worries me. Maybe I will get it. That is a very scary thought. Not that I would be aware that I had it. Still, my mind is one of my most valuable assets. I do not want to lose it.
After doing some research on the Internet, I decide on my own private plan of action against that dreaded sickness. I understand that some studies suggest that a combination of two vitamins in larger quantities may ward off Alzheimer's. Every morning now, my breakfast includes a 1000 unit tablet of Vitamin E and a 1000 mg tablet of Vitamin C. These antioxidants in combination are considered a defense against Alzheimer's Disease.
Also, I heard that aluminum seems to contribute to the onset of the sickness. Thus, I do what I can to avoid aluminum cookware and buying soft drinks in aluminum cans. I use aluminum foil sometimes when I cook turkey in the oven but not often.
As I age, I have fears of various sicknesses. One of the most dreaded is Alzheimer's Disease. It completely destroys the character and personality of many very good people.
