Before I went on vacation I had brief chats with family members of two of our folk who are in nursing homes as a result of Alzheimer's disease. In both cases I was surprised to be asked if I had been in to see their loved one. I had, but I wouldn't have thought either would remember. The elderly man was tied into his wheel chair to keep him from injuring himself. He smiled when I arrived, then proceeded to tell me with enthusiasm that he was flying a plane from one destination to another. The elderly woman was at the meal table when I found her and a caregiver was alongside, reminding her how to use her fork and hold her cup. She looked up at me vaguely with a wan smile.
I have to admit that I will myself to visit these dementia patients and others because there is so little opportunity for conversation and connection, or so I think. Yet two weeks after each of these visits they mentioned them to family. In the case of the man he volunteered it to his family member who assumed he was simply confused. These instances reminded me of the importance of this aspect of pastoral care, once again. Quite frankly, I have recurring memory loss on this one. They are God's children even if I don't sense their response or receive some "reward" in the visit.
A recent report says that scientists are closing in on tests that can ascertain the predisposition to Alzheimers earlier in life. It may allow drug treatment which would slow the development of the disease.
Honestly I don't think I would want to know, at least not until there was a cure. Maybe I'm wrong. Would you want to know that you might develop dementia, or would you prefer to be blissfully ignorant?
I have to admit that I will myself to visit these dementia patients and others because there is so little opportunity for conversation and connection, or so I think. Yet two weeks after each of these visits they mentioned them to family. In the case of the man he volunteered it to his family member who assumed he was simply confused. These instances reminded me of the importance of this aspect of pastoral care, once again. Quite frankly, I have recurring memory loss on this one. They are God's children even if I don't sense their response or receive some "reward" in the visit.
A recent report says that scientists are closing in on tests that can ascertain the predisposition to Alzheimers earlier in life. It may allow drug treatment which would slow the development of the disease.
Honestly I don't think I would want to know, at least not until there was a cure. Maybe I'm wrong. Would you want to know that you might develop dementia, or would you prefer to be blissfully ignorant?
4 comments:
Knowing that Alzheimer's is in my genes is enough to make me worry but there is still the reasurrance that there isn't a well proven link between genetics and most Alzheimer's. No I don't want to know but if a successful early intervention therapy was uncovered, I'd think about it.
I have heard you speak of your interest in medical ethics, David. At what point are we playing "God" in all of this advancement, do you think?
Knowing that one grandmother had Alzheimer's and one grandfather had dementia, I would say that I had better than average odds of inheriting one or the other. At this moment in my life, yes, I would want to know if I was predisposed to Alzheimer's. David, I, too, have struggled with myself when visiting family and congregational members with Alzheimer's and dementia.
But the question about knowing or not knowing if one is predisposed to a particular disease - is this not already in practice - in regards to certain cancers and Huntington's disease? And wouldn't it be similar to someone being told about a terminal medical condition and given a finite amount of time to live.
For me to know ahead of time, would allow me to put in place and to inform family members of my wishes around my care and to do and say the things I deemed important.
In a perfect world I would like to live my life thinking that tomorrow I may not know that it's tomorrow. Now that may sound rather negative but it is not. I would like to have "all my affairs in order" and I would like to live each day/view each day and everything that happens in it as if it were the last time I would see it....with awe and wonder.
Well, that's the perfect world but the fact is I don't have all my ducks in a row and there are days that I take for granted.....I should do better.
All three of your responses are helpful. Early detection has become so important with a number of diseases -- I think of breast cancer for women and prostate for men. But what about Huntingdon's and Alzheimers where there is no cure yet? I think that's what you're asking about Laura.
Another NYTimes article yesterday points out that while we are moving toward early detection for Alzheimers, we have made little progress toward a cure. So does the medical technology outrun the medical ethics. Who supports those who discover a disease with no prospect of a positive outcome?
I agree Lynn that we are healthier when we live in the moment, although both memory and hope are powerful forces in our lives. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus encouraged us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has worries enough of its own. So, does that mean we emulate Alzheimers patients whose disease requires them to live in the moment.
Thanks.
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