Even in elementary school I knew that I wanted to be a nurse and help people.
After I graduated from nursing school I got my first job in a nursing home taking care of the elderly. This was the first time I came in contact with alzheimers.
I remember a patient shaking and crying come up to me saying, “ I don’t know what is wrong with me”? I would just hug her and cry with her.  I eventually had to leave the nursing home because I got so attached to the elderly and was really upset when one of my patients died.
I started working in a Dr.’s office as a nurse which I really enjoyed. Well a few yrs. ago at age 50 I was fired from my job. I was laughed at, yelled at and called stupid by my co workers because I kept forgetting things and didn’t understand instructions. I was working on a friday and about 4:30 my supervisor called me into her office laughing and said, " your position as a nurse is terminated and you are fired". I left there crying and shaking because I was so upset! I saw a neurologist, had blood work,  an mri, pet scan and several hrs. of memory testing and was diagnosed with alzheimers. Right away I thought of my first patient who was crying to me because of alzheimers. I went into a severe depression for about a yr. and finally woke up and said that this isn’t going to help me or anyone else. So I prayed a lot and asked Our Lord if he could help me accept this horrible disease. I feel that God Blessed me with alzheimers to educate and help others with their alzheimers diagnosis. We still have an important purpose in life and can live a very productive life even with alzheimers.  I am an Ambassador and Advocate for the Alzheimers Association. I have started the first support group in my area at my Church called Memory Cafe for the people who have alzheimers. I  have been a mentor for the Alzheimers Association for 2yrs. to help the newly diagnosed with alzheimers and my local hospital just asked me to be a mentor at their hospital in their Memory Care Program. I enjoy doing this so  so they can see that you still have purpose in life and could accomplish whatever you want in life even with alzheimers. I was the Team Captain for the Alzheimers Walk and also do bus trips to raise money to benefit the Alzheimers Association. I have been to Washington DC for the 2013  Alzheimers Advocacy Forum. I still have a lot to accomplish and I thank God he has helped me accept the alzheimers diagnosis and help others learn to live with the disease.
Don't get me wrong! Alzheimers is a horrible disease and is hard to live with but with
 Faith and with God's Help, Nothing is impossible!