Alzheimer’s sucks. Yep, it does. It is a horrible, horrible disease I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I am pretty sure I have said that at least 1,000 times in the last couple of months but even more so after spending the last several days visiting my beloved Grandmama in my hometown of Indianapolis who currently suffers from the debilitating disease.

So, who is Grandmama? 

Grandmama is my maternal grandmother. She is the heart and soul of our family and is by far one of the strongest women I have ever known. From the moment I was born, she has been my biggest cheerleader….even when I knew I had done wrong. When I have needed anything, whether a ride to physical therapy after knee surgeries or a home cooked meal, she has always been there for me.

It’s Grandmama’s fault I started watching Young and the Restless! We used to discuss those crazy characters every weekend when I was a student at Alabama A&M. (Don’t judge me. Yes, I scheduled my classes around the long-running soap opera). 

Grandmama taught me how to play cards. She taught me how (and why) to cut coupons before going to the grocery store. She taught me the importance of making lists every morning before starting the day. She taught me how important it was to exercise the brain by doing word searches and completing (or attempting to at least) crossword puzzles.

Now, this same woman’s memory is fading and fading fast. 

The last several days has been tough to watch her, but I know seeing my face brought her so much joy. Even when I want to cry as reality slaps me (and the rest of my family) in the face, I find comfort in knowing her memory is not completely gone. She still remembers some people and periods of time.

It’s not easy seeing someone you love and have always admired become the latest Alzheimer’s statistic. 

DID YOU KNOW?

• More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.
• Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s.
• Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
• In her 60s, a woman’s estimated lifetime risk for developing Alzheimer’s is 1 in 6. For breast cancer it is 1 in 11.

For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Association at http://www.alz.org/.