Friday, September 4, 2015

"DO YOU REMEMBER . . . ?"







Rodin, "The Thinker"



           How  often do you say 'do you remember ?' or 'let me think about it' ?

     I have been thinking a lot about Memory in recent days. 
It shows up everywhere in our society. Song titles and lyrics: "Try to Remember"; "What's too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget" . It is written on innumerable Christian communion tables: "Do this in Remembrance of Me". Everyday conversations: "I don't remember where I put my keys (glasses, briefcase, etc)."

     Lots of memories and associations are stored in a healthy brain.  E.M. Forster maintained that "unless we remember, we cannot understand" and Aeschylus claimed that "memory is the mother of all wisdom".

    The late comedian, Fred Allen, quipped that he always had trouble "remembering three things: faces, names, and ___ I can't remember what the third thing is".  Sometimes I can chuckle when I find the 'lost glasses' on top of my head and there are innumerable quips about 'absent minded professors'.  And Will Rogers spoke wisdom with his observation that "the short memories of American voters is what keeps our politicians in  office."

    However, there are dimensions of memory and an inability to think that absolutely are not humorous.  I just completed Lisa Genova's book, Still Alice.  Originally published in 2007, the novel has been made into a movie of the same title. It is the story of Dr. Alice Howland, a 50 year old Harvard professor, stricken with early-onset Alzheimer's Disease and the irreversible changes that come to her life.  I will forego a book review here since those are readily available on the internet.  I found it an elegantly and sensitively written book about a gut-wrenching topic.  With her own Harvard PhD in neuroscience, the author had entree into conversations and consultations with leading researchers and clinicians. I highly recommend her book. It has prompted me to think and to remember.

    In recent time, I recall at least two clients afflicted with the insidious monster.  One was an elderly man who in his early years had graduated from Yale, served with distinction as a military officer, then as a successful businessman.  Another, in his early 50's, had been diagnosed with early-onset AD, ending his career in a medical profession. 

   A few months ago, I became aware of Ike's death from AD.  When we had lived near each other in the 1970's, I knew him as a witty, astute Georgia Tech graduate whose insights into human behaviors were extraordinary.  More recently, one of my high school friends has been robbed of her memory.  The wife of another high school friend has begun to experience forgetfulness and disorientation.  In an earlier post, I wrote about a former parishioner's transformation. And now, I have learned of a second one. A local friend, long adept in the utilization of words no longer can express himself.  Not unlikely, you are acquainted with someone facing comparable struggles as brain cells die, causing memory loss and cognitive decline.

    Reading this book confirmed my own worst 'end of life scenario'.  Yesterday I had my annual cardiology check up and everything was "normal"; about six weeks ago, my urologist found my PSA to be zero and no concerns about a recurrence of the cancer removed ten years ago.  (Forgive all this personal health reporting.) And, while there are, of course,no guarantees, there are actions that can possibly provide some degree of protection for these and other diseases.  AD, on the other hand, strikes without warning and seemingly with little regard for one's life habits. I choose not to live life in fear but in cherishing relationships, meaningful work and in making new memories that I hope to enjoy. 

    While more is known now about this insidious affliction than was just a few years ago, the need for  Aggressive research continues. For information about AD and clinical trials, go to  http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_clinical_studies. asp.   And the Alzheimer's Association provides extensive information on their website and is a worthy recipient of individual financial gifts. 
   
    Think about it.

         Satchel

   

2 comments:

  1. So insightful, I do hope many people read this particular blog. AD is a sad and mysterious illness. Yet it can have warning signs and to date there is some treatments available. Treatment does not cure but can slow the disease down a bit. Thanks for sharing this, so important message.

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  2. What really sad is that people that suffered from AD, do not suffer but the people with them especially the loved one. I am 60 years old. I often forget things and I know, I
    have to improved my ability to rewind my steps, like where I put my keys and etcs.
    I have a special place I put all my things the minute I come home. Thanks and cheer
    Rahim Maarof.

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