Alzheimer’s ordeal
The end of this road is death, but what a torturous trip.
My friend lost his wife of decades to Alzheimer’s. The trip was long and slow, starting with minor memory lapses, then more serious memory issues.
Next came the mood changes — the yelling, the screaming, breaking windows, throwing things. Day after day, something was going on.
As the Alzheimer’s progressed, the violent out breaks became less, but now there was the difficulty with walking and other personal issues. Keep in mind, this all took place over a period of years.
This is not news to those that deal with this, either at home or in the health care business, but it’s hardest for those that deal with it at home, unable to afford the tremendous costs involved with professional care.
At times, I would get angry with my friend’s wife, but then I would realize it’s not her fault, it’s the disease. But throughout this whole time — years — my friend took care of her, loved her and tolerated all she did. He showed me how a true man acts with the woman he loves.
He finally had to put her in a health care facility in Las Vegas, because he was no longer able to care for her at the level she needed, and he chose Las Vegas because nothing in Hawaii was either available or affordable.
He kept up with the deal they made “… to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part … .”
His wife is in a better place, and I hope my friend will heal from this ordeal.
Roger Schweitzer
Volcano
COVID evidence
Does wearing a mask help protect someone from getting COVID-19? Most medical people say “yes,” but it’s hard to get actual proof.
But here’s some evidence worth considering: the COVID-19 status of members of the U. S. Congress.
There are 531 members of Congress at the moment. (The House has four vacant seats.) They are split pretty evenly between Republicans and Democrats, with 260 Republicans and 271 Democrats. But COVID-19 infections are not split so evenly!
Forty-five Republicans have tested positive for the disease or diagnosed as having it, while only 21 Democrats have. (In addition, two of the House vacancies are the result of Republicans elected to fill those seats dying of COVID-19.)
So why are there more than twice as many Republicans with COVID-19 as Democrats? What is the difference between the two groups?
One very obvious difference is that most Democrats are pretty serious about wearing masks, while many Republicans follow Donald Trump’s lead and refuse to wear masks. And guess who gets infected? By better than two-to-one, it’s members of the group who doesn’t want to wear masks.
It’s not proof, but it’s pretty suggestive!
Dan Lindsay
Hilo