I am trying to help a dear friend and precious family navigate a broken system with medical expenses for long term memory care. Please read their story below. Any amount will help. Thank you!

Our story began 35 years ago when two teenagers started dating never imagining they would spend most of their lives together. We were immediately inseparable and got married on December 7, 1996.

After years of trying to have a baby, our daughter Jayden was born in 2008 and our best ever surprise son, Braxton, was born in 2010. Roy was a very hands-on dad from the moment they were born changing their first diapers, to teaching them how to ride their bikes, skateboard, and play basketball.

His passion from the time we met was cars and he passed that love down to our daughter taking her to car shows and long rides in the country.

In 2021, after working for Toyota in Georgetown, KY for nearly 17 years on night shift, he finally got the dayshift job we had been praying for. With his 2nd shift schedule, he missed a lot of the kids ball games and events over the years. This new position in quality would not only enable him to be able to attend more of the kids’ activities, but it was a job he could retire from.

In March of 2021, he had been on the new job for a month or so and emotionally shared with me he was having trouble remembering the steps to the new processes and didn’t understand why. I made him cheat sheets and we would review them together, but eventually his supervisors told him that it was taking longer than it should.

I began to get concerned and made an appointment with our doctor on April 20, 2021. To my shock, he failed the memory test in the office not even knowing what month it was. That was the last day he ever worked.

Initially, the neurologist suspected sleep apnea or a mild stroke. However, after months of tests, including a sleep study, MRI, CT scan, neurophysiological testing, and a lumbar puncture, I received the call in August that the diagnosis was Early Onset Alzheimer’s. I was stunned and devastated because I knew what a hard road we would face. At just 50 years old, with a 10 and 13 year old, I had to face that my children were going to lose their dad. When I had to sit them down to explain it to them, the first question Jayden asked was is he going to forgot who I am.

He was referred to Indiana University for their LEADS (Longitudinal Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Study) observational study that was designed to address the gaps in current Alzheimer’s research. Once per year, we would make the trip to Indianapolis for three days of rigorous testing to track how fast the disease was progressing. Unfortunately, we soon found out that early onset is much more aggressive.

The first two years, we tried our best to live as normal as possible while the meds helped to slow progression some. He continued to drive for almost 2 years, we went on vacation, the kids ballgames, and tried to make the most of every single day.

In early 2024, things seemed to be changing rapidly and I soon realized he no longer knew who our kids were anymore. Eventually, he also forgot my name. There are no words to describe what it’s like when the man you’ve spent most of your life with no longer knows you by name.

Because he could no longer be left alone, he began attending an adult day center. Although he felt out of place at first, he quickly began to enjoy going, made friends, and was loved by everyone.

On January 10th of this year, what started off as a typical morning, ended with him in the hospital from a grand mal seizure. At that time I was unaware seizures are common in the end stages of the disease. He spent 9 days in the hospital and upon returning home, the decline has been rapid and very aggressive.

Just in the last few days, he is having difficulty walking and understanding very basic instructions. His once big smile and expressive face has turned into a blank stare.

His care is much more physically demanding and with me having back surgery just 2 years ago, I’m unable to provide the care he needs and deserves.

I’ve spent the last 4 years trying to be the best wife, caregiver, mom, employee, and friend I can be and I am not one that likes to ask for help, but here I am.

I’ve reached out to every organization that exists for what resources are available. Unfortunately, because Roy is so young with this disease, he doesn’t qualify. I have received a few small grants from the Bluegrass Area Development District that provided the adult day care, but with the cost of care, it doesn’t go far. He could qualify for Medicaid, but there are no memory care beds available for months.

Roy needs around the clock care and while he’s under hospice care, it doesn’t provide 24/7 care. He is in the final stage of the disease and needs to be in memory care for the short time he has left.

Any donations received will go to the facility I have found close to our home where I know he will be safe, cared for, and loved. I also would like to ask for your prayers as me and the kids navigate the final phase of this journey.