When "love" matters the most!

[HalfDzed]

Last night I was watching a rather interesting documentary about alzheimer's disease and its impact on families. The producers selected a handful of patients and followed them around, interviewed them, interviewed their families, their doctors, experts and support groups. Out of the 8 or so alzheimer's patients, there was a particular couple that struck a cord with me. It was a black couple in their 80s - who were married for 55 years, had children and grand-children together. The wife had the disease for 8 years and was essentially suffering from one of the more progressive types of the disease. She was forgetful, confused, paranoid, frustrated and at times hostile. Her husband looked after her; fed her, clothed her, read to her, even fixed her make-up for her. And the sad reality for him was that she had no idea who he was.

In the clip, you'd see her fighting with him, refusing to eat her breakfast, other times fighting with her 6 year old grand-son about trivial things, sometimes she would up and leave in the middle of the night, so the husband bolted down everything, including the stove and even the bathroom, etc. It made me realize that this is when love and companionship matters the most. Not when we are young, healthy and independent. Not when we are in lust, or roaming neophiliacs, not when we are after a quick escape from our loneliness or are after children. So, for those who claim love doesn't exist, I believe it can and it does/did for many. What bound that man to this poor woman who couldn't even recognize him had to be love, what else is left at 80+ years of age? That's what I call true companionship.

[LiquidHYDROGEN]

Lol can you Imagine a somali guy. "Naa orodoo shaah noo kari, waa bila alseymaris eh".

[HalfDzed]

Poor thing would probably live her last days undiagnosed and cast aside.

[Hyperactive]

the question is; do they stick around that long together?

probably she would end up living with her daughter to take care of her, if she is lucky.

wallah other cultures wey naka naharees badan yiheen.

[Basra-]

Half....


My dear---it is NOT surprising that u were only 'struck' with the black couple,u and race....... Anyway, i think you were also struck by your own lonely statehood, and subconsciously fear what will become of you?


Alzheimer is a deadly disease, somalis elders suffer from it but they are treated as cajuuza seniles, lol - but i am surprised that this disease is selctive. Why does it affect some and not everyone? I thought it is directly associated with aging? Barbara Walters is 82--- and her focal mental abilitiy is amazing. She sounds and looks like she is in her late 60s. When i grow 80, i want to be just like Barbara walters.

[Walaashiis]

I think that is not love it is compassion( Rahma).

I believe jaceylka waa maalmaha hore, marka dambe waxa soo haraya wanaaga qofka iyo rahmaddiisa sidda Quraankuba noo sheegey.


BTW can somebody help me out with this: I tried to post a topic and when I submitted it it went to the moderators. Is that how it works?

how long would it take before it is approved? there was something I want to talk about ( personal stuff).

[HalfDzed]

Hyperactive - in the U.S. parents regardless of age traditionally live with each other or by themselves in case of separation, divorce, etc. The most their children do for them when they age is put them in a nursing home and visit every once in a while. In this particular case, the couple lived together in their home and the husband refused to put his wife in a nursing home, even though their kids encouraged it. Kids here are a poor investment if we apply our cultural thinking.


Basra - alzheimer's is still a mystery, nobody really knows what causes it or why it affects certain people and not others. Early imaging is also not easy to help with its detection since the disease particles are virtually impossible to spot on the usual imaging devices. It first attacks the hippocampus (center for memory) of the memory, then attacks the prefrontal cortex of the brain and by the time a person is diagnosed with it - they usually have had it for years. There's no cure for it and at it will eventually take over the whole brain, spreading to the motor function centers of the brain. In their last years of living, alzheimer's patients can barely breathe or do any involuntary functions, they're usually on life support. Its a horrible way to die.

[Basra-]

Half

Well.....who cares, whatever it is--it affects the brain, and they need to study the brain. I am more concerned with finding the cure of AIDS more than Alzheimer. Who cares if u forget or become handicapped by dimentia and poor brai function. The funny thing about the corellation of the brain functions in both late stages of alzheimer is the same as the late stages of AIDS patient who do not take medicines. It is said that AIDS patient in late stages, where the virus has take hold of their brain, patients start to become hellucinating, and early signs of dimentia. I say, if the alzheimer scientists are serious, they should start studing and monitoring aging patients with family history of alzheimers. I suspect--the same way in the aids patients where a virus has to penetrate the brain cells to kill its natural function, there must be some sort of an invasion in the brains of alzheimers.

[Murax]

Lol can you Imagine a somali guy. "Naa orodoo shaah noo kari, waa bila alseymaris eh".