Hello my name is Barry. My wife Nancy has Early Onset Alzheimer’s. My kids and I noticed a change in my wife’s cognitive ability a bit over two years ago. After she got in an accident driving her car, we decided to take her car keys. We had no argument from her. She knew that there was a problem. In just over two and a half years she has progressed so fast. Some people are much slower in their decline. Apparently she’s in the fast lane. She still remembers people but can’t do anything else. She can barely talk.

I was a mentally abused child growing up. I didn’t know it until my 60’s. Just had a meltdown and didn’t know why. I had just buried it deep inside. That was normal life to me. My wife and my counselor helped me so much. Mostly my wife. It was a rough road. After I got my head screwed on straight, I vowed that she would get anything that she needed as long as I was alive. I owe so much to her. Everyone loved her because she was nice and helped anyone who had a problem no matter how big or small.

I had a very hard time dealing with her and her Alzheimer’s. If you’ve ever talked to a caregiver they can verify it’s hell. I did the best I could, but my history has a way of sneaking back and biting me in the ass. I have a real strong fight or flight response, that’s how I made it through life. Alzheimer’s is not like what TV portrays. That’s fantasy. The brain synapses are dying. Each one that dies causes her to lose another life skill. Eventually they forget how to chew and swallow. There’s no stopping it.

So now she is in a Memory Care Facility because I can’t give her the care she needs. My health is failing apart because of the stress. I hardly get sleep and am busy from the time I wake until bedtime. Stress affects everything and anything. Broke my heart to put her there, but in the long run it’s best for her. She can now get the care she deserves. It costs me over $6000. a month for her care. Actually somewhat cheap compared to what some people pay. But our bank account is taking a fast nosedive. Everything that she has managed to help us save is going to be depleted in another year. I’m on disability retirement so can’t work anymore. Some victims of this horrible disease die quickly and others can last for years. I have no way of knowing when this will end. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I hit rock bottom.

So I’m asking for your help. Anything you can contribute will help me give her the care she deserves. Absolutely every penny will go towards her care. Thanks so much.