Classic English Literature
Alzheimer’s disease is a medical condition that affects the normal functioning of the human brain. It is the worst and most common form of dementia, a condition associated with the impairment of the brain’s normal functions (Callone, 2010). This condition was first diagnosed by Alois Alzheimer a German psychiatrist in 1906, hence its name. The disease which occurs gradually has to date no known cure and it often results to death of the afflicted. Medical practitioners estimated reported about that about 27 million people were suffering from this brain condition as at 2006. They also project that by 2050, 1 in every 85 individuals will be affected by this disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is mostly diagnosed to ageing individuals. The common victims of this disease are individuals well advanced in age. Most of them are usually above 65 years old. There are cases where early onset is diagnosed in individuals at about 50 years but such cases are very rare.
Alzheimer’s disease is usually identified with loss of memory. Individuals usually find it difficult recalling very recent events in their lives. This is though is sometimes confused with effects of old age, depression and stress (Callone, 2010). In The bear came over the mountain, Fiona writes everything she is doing or she is supposed to do which aids her to recall what she is supposed to do “Even her morning schedule was written down. He found it mystifying and touching in its precision” (Munro, 2001). Alice in Still Alice, writes down a note to remind her where to find the pills which she is planning to commit suicide with. She is although distracted and forgets what she was planning to do later. She fails to commit suicide thus due to memory loss (Genova, 2009).
Other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease apart from memory loss include confusion, mood swings, and language interference, being overly aggressive and easily irritable (Callone, 2010). These symptoms are prevalent as the disease advances to worse levels. In Still Alice, Alice becomes even more confused as the disease becomes worse. She is unable to identify her daughters as well as her husband. She does not even perceive of her own self. A moment comes when Alice has to get to the washrooms. Alice enters the house but then forgets the very reason why she went to the house. She finds it difficult to recall the door leading to the washrooms downstairs. She eventually, sadly wets herself (Genova, 2009). Fiona after being taken to the institutions by her husband eventually forgets who husband Grant was. She recalls events that happened in the past but she completely fails to identify her husband “Does she even know who I am?” (Munro, 2001). She later turns her affections to Aubrey, Marian’s husband while her husband becomes a total stranger. This just shows the extent to which an individual can be confused due to the gradual loss of memory and normal brain functioning as the disease advances to worse stages. Grant visits Fiona and decides to bring her a book about Iceland. He leaves the book in Fiona’s room. When he later visits her again and finds her reading the book, Fiona describes the scenario in a manner to show that she clearly did not remember Grant having brought her the book.
Alzheimer’s disease manifests itself differently in different individuals (Callone, 2010). There are those it affects rapidly causing mood swings and being really irritable. For instance, Aubrey seems to be irritated by Grant visiting Fiona. The manner in which he reacts when Grant brings Fiona a book about travelling in Iceland shows how individuals are affected differently by this disease “Aubrey made a noise of protest or weariness or disgust” (Munro, 2001). Such reactions are not observed in Fiona or Alice who mostly are calm and kind despite their loss of memory.
Pressure is however evident on both the victims and the caretakers (Callone, 2010). The caretakers of the Alzheimer’s disease victims are usually affected by having to virtually carry out nearly every activity for the victims. This usually becomes difficult especially if an individual does not have other family members to help him or her. This is evident in The bear came over the mountain in the cases of Marian and Grant. They are both forced to put their respective spouses in Meadowlake. Alice’s family has to ensure that she is watched every time to prevent her from harming herself or getting lost. The family however put her in an institution where she can be given special care. This is usually very depressing to have someone you have lived with all your life suddenly being pulled out of the family and having to spend the rest of their lives in a mental institution. Grant and Marian try to make up for the loneliness that ensures after their respective spouses are affected. Viewed from different perspectives, this can be seen to be both cruel, but in way, it is not. The caretakers are human beings none the less and need to continue with their normal lives. Alzheimer’s disease is just an unfortunate condition which if it afflicts one’s family, then such family has no option than to accept and readjust for life to continue normally.
References
Callone, P. (2010). Alzheimer’s disease: The Dignity Within: A Handbook for Caregivers,
Family and Friends. Sydney: ReadHowYouWant.com.
Genova, L. (2009). Still Alice. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Munro, A. (2001). The Bear Came over The Mountain. New York: New York University press.
