After reading the Bredesen published research, I decided to get his book to learn more -- and in the process, found out about APOE4.info. I don't know (yet) what my APOE status is (I'm 56 years old), but I have a strong family history of Alzheimer's: my grandmother, mother, and aunt all passed away from the disorder. When my grandmother, who was very dear to me, was first diagnosed, hardly anyone even knew what Alzheimer's was (she was actually diagnosed in 1981, shortly after Rita Hayworth's diagnosis was made public). I was extremely close to her (she lived only five miles away when I was growing up), and I'll never forget when she confided in me that she knew something was wrong. I was in high school at the time and had taken her grocery shopping. When we came out of the store, she was extremely disoriented and confused; I could feel her fear and distress, and I remember holding her and hugging her in the parking lot as she cried on my shoulder. That was in the early stage of her disease, the progression of which I witnessed, along with my mother, very closely over the years. Because of the experience with my grandmother, I was able to recognize the early signs of Alzheimer's in my mother. I lived near my mother and was able to see her often, anticipating her changing needs as the her disease progressed. It was heartbreaking to go through Alzheimer's again with my mom; I admired her courage and determination, and I miss her everyday. Her sister (my aunt) passed away within the same year.
Given my family history, I'm understandably scared to death of getting Alzheimer's. However, after learning about the Bredesen protocol, I have hope for the first time, and I feel empowered to take control and make some lifestyle changes that I think will be very helpful in potentially minimizing the impact of Alzheimers in my life.
I look forward to learning more and being a part of APOE4.info!!
--Kathleen
P.S. My "handle" Marjalu is actually a combination of my grandmother's, mother's, and aunt's names -- in their memory.
