For seven years I have watched my wife of 37 years gradually disappear before my eyes. Kathleen was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease years ago and now is to the final stage; she knows no one and can do nothing for herself and can just lie in bed.
We take care of her at home and each evening after work, I sit with her and tell her about my day. She can answer no questions, she can comment on nothing, but once in a while there is a smile.
And then I read on a front page of the Tribune the article by Bonnie Miller Rubin of the people younger than she who have this horrible disease. And the House Appropriations Committee has voted to cut our investment in research, an investment that has been stagnant since 2003.
Now we all have our pet causes and I agree my view may be biased, but this disease ever so slowly removes the life from a person until only the body remains and the mind is gone.
When are we going to wake up to the fact that this disease cries out for a cure? For my wife there is probably no hope, save a miracle, but there are millions out there who could benefit if we could just find a cure.
How can we in good conscience ignore this disease? Why are we not doing more?
We can fight wars and kill people in the name of peace, but we can’t or we won’t help those who might be able to be cured to live and contribute another day.
It is despicable that we just sit back on our hands.
