Wiped Clean...

My grandmother did not have Alzheimer's but she had a tumor on her brain. The last time we went to visit my dad he went next door and brought my granny over, she knew my husband but did not know me or my children even though she would just stare at us. It did bother me but it did give me comfort to know that her staring at me and my children and smiling that it might have been her thinking of her past and better times. She was my dad's mother and my mother's sister would go visit her and she would think it was my mother and would ask her where my dad was then other times she would not know any of them. If it was me that had Alzheimer's I'm sure it would be very hard on my family just as it would on me if it was any of my family.

I would hate this to happen to any one in my family, Im terified of getting Alzheimers I want to know my children untill the day I die. I cant imagine not knowing them or not remembering all the thing we have done together!!! This is so sad losing all memories! I have lost my parents but they knew all and every one untill the end.

It is really sad to hear about this. I know of an old man who lives in our building. He has alzheimer's and he cannot recognise anyone. He doesn't even bother to respond to people. He is above 85. ~Pinks~

I think it is so sad when the mind betrays us and our bodies are still so strong. I don't think I could bare it if it happened to me. At least if my body failed and my mind was still sharp, I would remember what was going on around me.

Ok so I typed this out once before. My grandma had alzheimer's before she passed away. she forgot everything in recent years and was living in the past when she was a kid. It was at the point where she thought she was staying in the barn at a family members when she was in the hospital. She even gave the nurses heck for hiding her rubber boots. We all were very patient with her telling her our names and reminding her where she was. She started calling me little lena (her sister) whom i resemble. I didnt mind because I knew she knew i was related and loved me. If i end up with it i'd hope my family will be as patient with me as they were with my grandma.

it is very sad indeed. all that really matters to me in this life are the people i love and to not remember them would be tragic. this is a horrible disease and it is hard on the whole family. i do not know anyone personally that has it but have friends who have had loved ones with the disease and they have discussed it with me.

That has to be one of the most heart breaking diseases out there because it basically wipes out your memory. I don't know anyone with this illness and hope and pray that no one in my family, including me, gets it. My heart goes out to all that have to live with it.

no I don't personally know anyone who has alzhemers, I really don't know how it would affect family members, I can't predict other people's reactions. I doubt that my son would understand, if it happened to me, he would scream and yell that I should remember these things, he sometimes does that now to me and I don't have alzheimers.

am hoping my mom dont get that far as then I wouldnt be able to really taklk to her on the phone anymore for she moght not answer it. DOnt know what daughter would do if I got it just put up with me I guess

That is really sad and really hard for everyone involved. My grandpa got really sick towards the end of his life. They said it was dementia. It was very odd going to his house- but I wanted to - to spend time with him before he passed. He got mean and would yell a lot at us- and say things that were not happening- like something is on fire- In his mind he was seeing these things. He had no idea who we were most of the time. My dad stayed there 24/7 the last 4 months of his life. Gramps needed him there-- and so did Gram. It was so hard on my dad and my grandma. I hope to never go through this! Ever! It is so hard when someone you loves goes through anything like this- no memory of you. They don't understand as they have no memory-- I think it is harder on the families.

I do know people who have this disease but not all suffer it as severely as your stepmother's mother obviously does! It really is a cruel and nasty condition that robs not only the sufferer of their memories and independence but robs family and friends of a meaningful and happy relationship and bond with the sufferer! I really have no idea how my family would cope to be honest but I am certain that they would be devastated! xxx

I do know people who have this disease but not all suffer it as severely as your stepmother's mother obviously does! It really is a cruel and nasty condition that robs not only the sufferer of their memories and independence but robs family and friends of a meaningful and happy relationship and bond with the sufferer! I really have no idea how my family would cope to be honest but I am certain that they would be devastated! xxx

My neighbors wife had it and it was very sad.This woman was strong and in charge and it was so sad to see her going down hill as fast as she did.

I'm a community care-worker and so see a lot of people with this condition. It's a horrible thing for all involved and it can tear families apart. I think it's nature at its cruelest! When my Mum started losing her short term memory she was terrified that it was Alzheimers and made me promise that if it was, we would put her in a Nursing Home. She was physically disabled all her life and bed-ridden for her last 3 years and I was her Carer. Luckily it was a decision we never needed to make! I too dread it. Not for myself but for my family. They would be the ones it affected most. It's sad having to re-introduce myself to those I look after on a daily basis, sometimes more than once in a visit, but it would be heart-breaking if they were people I'd shared my whole life with.

So far I dont know anyone with that disease,yet. I did watch part of an interview with Sandra Day O'Connor who retired from the Supreme Court to spend time with her husband who is suffering from this. I don't know anyone,yet who has this but I worry that I may get it. Sometimes I have days when I cant remember simple things like an actors name or where I put something the day before. I often wonder what my kids would do if either my husband or I developed this. It is so sad to see a person who no longer is aware of family and friends.

My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was so hard to see her forgetting us and calling us someone else. Then she began to forget how to walk and those kind of things. It finally got to where my mama and I couldn't take care of her any more and we had to put her in a nursing home. That was so hard for us to do but they took great care of her and she just laid there in a fetal position for years. It was so painful to watch her. Then she finally went home to be with Jesus. I know she is so happy now. But, it is so hard to watch them slide into that state.

twoey it broke my heart when my mom no longer recognized me nor my son. I knew she could not helpit but it was sopainful as she was a kind gentle woman who loved us so much and she did not know us.I wanted so much to bawl like a baby but I could not do that and frighten her as she was pleased to see us though she did not know who we were. I am 81 and thank god I still have all my marbles. I could bear almost anything and have as long as my mind stays intact. bad arm,thats okay, bad foot still okay,but must have my mind clear thats all I ask.

An ex Father in Law has it and its so sad to see him have this quizzical expression on his face when alot of people talk to him..he calls all the girls sweetie since he tends to forget names now and since we live across the street he will come over and just sit down and then they have to come over and get him since he forgets which house he lives in..its such a heartbreaking thing since he's always been such a sweetie to me.

hi, yes i know someone who has alzheimer's.. its my sisters god-mothers mother... i find it so heart breaking that a person could live for a very long time and just forget everything or everybody he/she knows. we recently went to celebrate her birthday at the beach and had a gathering of their family and family friends. when we came near her i feel like when she looked at me her eyes were blank. she didnt know me at all. and in one conversation that i heard from my aunt, she asked her own daughter 'how many children she has' and the daughter answered her.. and then she started to say 'me i have 4..' and she started to say their names and then the daughter said 'ma, dont you remember me?'.... she doesnt even remember her own daughter anymore... and her grandchildren... its so sad... im not sure if she remembers her siblings though. but still... and i talked to the god-mothers daughter and she said that it is difficult to deal with her grandmother sometimes because she would say something like 'thats my shoes, why are you wearing my shoes' and things like that eventhough its her grandaughters shoes... so sad...

oh yes,it bothers me and it hurts me so bad if my love ones didn't remember me.It killing me softly everytime he/she dont remember that he/she loved me because of the fact that he did not rememer anything about his/her past life.. well,its really hard to deal people who have that kind of illness especially when it comes to your love ones.. aal I can say is that your step mom should understand her mom's condition because it is normal especially to those people who are very old,and its part of growing up.. its her chance to love and care her mom because her mom terribly need her help.. I suggest that your step mom will accept her condition whole heartedly so that she could no longer feel the sadness,heartaches and tiredness dealing with her mom.. because it is really normal to the person aged 80's above. She should improve her patients in dealing this kind of illnesses and only ACCEPTANCE can help her problem,why? because if she accept her mom's condition she will no longer experienced hard time dealing with her mom.