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I picked Parkinson's. Everyone I have worked with who has Parkinson's has been very depressed over the slow loss of their abilities. I work with a lady now who used to be so bright and active in life, and she is so despondant that now she cannot even feed herself. My heart breaks for her. Of course stroke victims can experience the same thing.
I agree with theatergypsy that most of the time dementia is harder on the family than the patient...but I agree with subject2change too, this is not always the case and those that suffer the chronic anxiety is heartbreaking.
because hubby and I are getting up there in the age tree there are a lot, I just try not to dwell on them. I think stroke worries me the most because I have seen so many people, live after one but in various starges of immobility. We are fighting cancer with hubby now; luckily, so far, so good. Research makes new discoveries on fighting the desease daily. That is the positive thing.
Not to try and scare you, but Alzheimers can be very traumatic for the patient. Some are in a constant state of anxiety about their confusion, about misunderstandings about their surroundings, and other things. Medication doesn't always solve this. And reassurances from others around them don't help,because they seem not to believe or understand what they're told, and forget what they've been told within minutes. That's not something I want to experience.
I worked in the medical field for many years and we had many patients in the varying stages of Alzheimer's. I'm aware of the ramifications regarding the sufferer, but I still fear the ravages of a debilitating stroke over dementia.
Regarding your last sentence, I hope I didn't indicate that Alzheimer's was something I wanted to experience. Matter of fact, I don't want to experience any of the many ailments that accompany aging. (Although at this point, I already have ). But I watched a friend linger after a stroke and although her mind was sharp, the indignities of her physical body was painful to watch.
ETA: MS is also something I would rather avoid. I watched several very young men and women degenerate after each flare. Too sad.
Cancer scares me the most, especially pancreatic cancer (95% death rate). I have a procedure scheduled next month that involves interventional radiology, and the radiation scares the crap out of me since I've already had a CT of the same area.
I always said that 3 medical procedures really scare me - bone marrow biopsy, brain surgery, and eye surgery (all done while awake). I had the bone marrow biopsy upon diagnosis of cancer, and now I think I can handle about anything.
Alzheimers or other mental degradation is what really freaks me out. I started chemo less than a year after graduating from college when I was at my sharpest. Now, over a year later, I'm nowhere near where I was. In addition to brain fog and trouble with word searching and complicated concepts, I transpose words, have memory loss, and have trouble with recall. I started grad school very part time 2 weeks after ending chemo, and it reflects in my grades. I'm currently taking a programming class in XML and it's KILLING me because my brain just *can't* wrap around the concepts, though a year and a half ago, it was fine. That causes a lot of anxiety and self esteem issues. I can't imagine handling more mental capacity loss in a more profound way.
char I can understand your POV. I have minimal lapses in recalling certain words and while I eventually remember what I'm seeking, (usually at two o'clock in the morning!), I did have some concerns early on that I wouldn't be able to remember dialogue. Fortunately, that didn't happen and I managed to learn pages and pages of script.
Perhaps at my advanced age, I have less to fear than you younger people. I would like to just drift away quietly, if that's the Almighty's plan for me.
I am afraid to get Cancer, since my dad died of pancreatic cancer there is no way to tell if I will get it. I am also afraid to have a long, painfull drawn out illness too of any kind. When I go I want it to be quick and peaceful.
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). But I watched a friend linger after a stroke and although her mind was sharp, the indignities of her physical body was painful to watch.
