Picture this: You’re 70 years old. You are, for all intents and purposes, well off and have no worry in the world when it comes to money. You have three grandkids ages 8, 13, and 22 and two kids both in their late 40s. Your spouse is in his/her early 80s and is by your side through thick and thin. All is great.
Flash forward one month: You’re beginning to forget where you placed your keys more and more frequently. Talking to people seems like a daunting task due to the flatline abyss your mind keeps entering. Things begin to seem to be getting worse and worse as days go by. You decide to go to the doctor to see what’s up.
Flash forward one year: You’re home. You’re lying in bed next to your spouse and it’s early morning. You let out a great big yawn and smile a big smile knowing that the love of your life is laying next to you. You turn over on your side and look into their eyes. Then, darkness.
“Are you okay?” you say to them. Suddenly, you begin to see your children in the center of their pupil. The image of your children begins to get smaller and smaller. Out of no where the room goes black and you begin to fall into a dark abyss. You’re petrified. You’re alone. You have no idea what’s happening. All you see is an infinite tunnel of cold, black void. You begin to scream.
“It’s okay honey, it’s okay. I’m here.“ Your spouse comforts you. The doctor, nurse, and the nurse’s assistant run into the room. “When do you think she’ll she be better?” your spouse asks the doctor. They both look at your frail, thinning body lying on the hospital bed. It’s been a month since you’ve been admitted. “Unfortunately there’s no cure for Alzheimer’s” he says.
You begin to scream once more. You’re back from the void you once fell into; however, you’re now surrounded by unfamiliar figures you don’t recognize. The figures are looking at you, visibly concerned. You think you’ve seen one of them before but don’t remember where. Everything around you feels foreign and terrifying.
“How long has she been unable to recognize you?” the doctor asks.
“Too long”
inspired by events in the Onc Surg Unit @ BWH