I suppose we all have opinions of what we consider to be the worst diseases out there in the world.
Maybe in 2021 it's COVID-19 for many.
I’m guessing cancer, heart disease and stroke are in your top five.
My big fear has always been Alzheimer's.
This happens to be Alzheimer's and Brain Injury Awareness month
This column was prompted by two things: A recent scientific announcement and a movie.
The United States has recently approved the first Alzheimer’s drug in 18 years, called Aduhelm. It hasn’t been fully investigated, but it could treat the underlying causes of the disease rather than just treat the symptoms.
Stay tuned, I guess.
The movie is called The Father, with Sir Anthony Hopkins in the starring role. If you have seen it, you know why he won the Academy Award.
It is not a heartwarming, charming film — rather it is a gut-wrenching and unflinching portrayal of someone in the midst of this debilitating affliction.
It tells the man’s story from his viewpoint. You may find yourself — as I did — confused by the story line. That’s on purpose.
It shows his day-to-day life as he sinks further and further into confusion.
He mistakes certain people for other people, he calls them by the wrong name, or he doesn’t recognize them at all.
You can feel the pain, for his daughter, the first time he doesn’t recognize her.
He is confused by his surroundings, so the audience is left questioning which location is actually where he lives.
Are the conversations he’s having real or in his mind?
Reality and fantasy are intermingled.
In these ways, I found it really unique.
There are many scenes that will stay with you, including the one where his daughter observes him trying to put his own pullover sweater on. He struggles with the sleeves and the neck hole, not even really remembering where his arms go. Simple. Devastating.
There are also outbursts of anger and violence tempered with moments of incredible sweetness when a dad recognizes how much his child is doing for him and his comfort.
If you have lived anything like this, you don’t need a movie to remind you of the heartbreak.
There are 747,000 Canadians living with the disease.
I remember thinking when it was made public that former U.S. president Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's of all those amazing and historic lost memories.
Same with singer Glen Campbell, whose family documented his decline in the 2014 documentary I’ll Be Me.
It was so sad watching him forget the lyrics to his own classic songs, or how to play the guitar.
Everyone’s memories are precious. Not being able to recall people, places or cherished things seems beyond horrible.
Memories are often all we have left and to have those stolen seems beyond cruel.
