My grandfather is 79 and got his alzheimer's diagnosis this fall. He's lived a long, absolutely amazing life and inspired me to become an engineer. He's the kind of man that if he wants something done, he learns what to do and does it.
My grandfather lived his life, so I understand it's very different from the people who develop the disease in their 30s when they were supposed to raise children, start businesses, find their career niche and maybe their lifelong hobby. My grandfather did all that but I'm still very sad. He will forget everything he did, all the jobs he created with his successful businesses, all the laughs from me and my brother when he shared his blunders in life, all the math he learned and loved ... really everything he holds dear.
I remember reading the Wikipedia article about Claude Shannon and crying a few years ago. He also died of alzheimer's and in his last days, he'd forgotten the profound impact he made on the world. I just can't imagine a worse fate, your body shutting down and all your achievements and experiences fading from memory. It would be worse to experience it as a young man, but no matter when it strikes, it's a way to go that nobody deserves.
My grandfather lived his life, so I understand it's very different from the people who develop the disease in their 30s when they were supposed to raise children, start businesses, find their career niche and maybe their lifelong hobby. My grandfather did all that but I'm still very sad. He will forget everything he did, all the jobs he created with his successful businesses, all the laughs from me and my brother when he shared his blunders in life, all the math he learned and loved ... really everything he holds dear.
I remember reading the Wikipedia article about Claude Shannon and crying a few years ago. He also died of alzheimer's and in his last days, he'd forgotten the profound impact he made on the world. I just can't imagine a worse fate, your body shutting down and all your achievements and experiences fading from memory. It would be worse to experience it as a young man, but no matter when it strikes, it's a way to go that nobody deserves.