The first day of school. A first kiss. A first job. Graduation days. Summer trips to the beach. A favorite movie seen hundreds of times over. Your wedding day. The days that your children come into the world. A shared glance between lovers. The sight of a starry sky on a cloudless night. Your mother's laughter.
Decades are spent gathering these beautiful moments, creating a lifetime of memories. As memories are the most fundamental and essential elements of a human life, they truly ought to always be accessible across the span of the lifetime during which they are created. However, as life would have it, not everyone is afforded the luxury of holding onto their own memories. A devastating 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease: a progressive illness that destroys important mental functioning, including memory as its trademark victim.
I recently watched a film released in 2014 called "Still Alice," which entails the diagnosis of fictional Columbia University linguistics professor Dr. Alice Howland, played by Julianne Moore, with early onset Alzheimer's disease. Julianne Moore's performance in "Still Alice" was absolutely breathtaking as her character presented a form of the illness rarely discussed. While describing her condition to her daughter, Alice says, "On my good days, I can almost pass for a normal person, but on my bad days, I feel like I can't find myself. I don't know who I am and I don't know what I'm going to lose next." This is the reality for an estimated 200,000 Americans who suffer prematurely, in addition to the other 5 million people, aged 65 and older, diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Her description and the film as a whole truly jarred me as I thought about how it must feel to lose yourself, to lose time, and to lose touch with those closest to you.
In 2014, iconic country singer Glen Campbell revealed a new song called "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" in a documentary that follows Campbell on his last tour after a diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease. The documentary is called "Glen Campbell ... I'll Be Me," and it beautifully captivates not only his persistent talent, but also the relationship between Glen and his children. Despite his condition, his children remain so supportive and help Glen remember song lyrics so that he can deliver the same memorable performances that have gained him such fame across his 55-year career. His song, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" acts as a tribute to his career and family, while also conveying the pain and sadness that accompanies the disease. It is difficult to not feel emotional when watching the music video for this song, but it is definitely such a beautiful tribute to Glen Campbell and all that he has accomplished throughout his life. A link to the video is posted below.
Alzheimer's and diseases like it are, without a doubt, difficult to cope with, not only for the person experiencing the disease, but also for the loved ones of those with Alzheimer's.
Even if you do not know someone with the disease, you have no doubt had someone in your family experience slight memory lapses that accompany an advanced age. My great aunt, who will always have a special place in my heart, suffered from dementia before her passing in 2015, and I can remember how difficult it had been to explain to her that a loved one had already passed several years prior to when she asked of their whereabouts. I can only imagine how often the pain of loss resurfaced when she realized that her loved ones were no longer with her. Though she struggled with dementia, I'll always remember what a sweet and kind woman she was.
Alzheimer's disease, by nature, insists on robbing people of their basic mental functioning, but it can never take away their hope, smiles, or special bonds with family.
