It started a number of years ago. We noticed he was starting to repeat himself and it got to where he was repeating himself a lot. Not a big deal at first he was getting older so we just didn't think to much about it. After he took to car out one day and confessed to my mother that he had a hard time finding his way back home she and we said enough he needs to go to the doctor and be checked, there is something more going on here. 

Sure enough they said he had early onset Alzheimers. They started him on medication and it work, for awhile. then they switched medications and that too worked, for awhile. in the midst of all of this he had to have an emergency abdominal surgery. We learned that anestheisa and Alzheimers patients just do get along. The anestheisa really through my Dad through a loop and was a real set back that he never fully bounced back from.

Things got to a point about 2 years ago now that we could no longer care for him at home and were faced with having to place him in a facility. We have been blessed to have found a place that only deals with Alzheimers. This place is really great they don't just leave the patients parked in a wheelchair in the hall. they bring each and every patient to the activities no matter what stage they happen to be in.

Dad is slipping more and more. He still seems to know who we are but they have started to puree his food because he doesn't really chew anymore and you have to remind him to swallow all the time.

This last stage and us having to move him into a facility happened very fast once the downhill part started. I would say that from the time of his surgery to us havign to move him was just about a year.

We have been lucky in that up till now he has always remembered us but his concept of time and place is another story.

If i could share anything with anyone it would be to know that you don't have to do this alone and you shouldn't try to go through it alone. there is a lot of help to be had out there and you need to find it and use it. It is a very very hard choice to have to move a loved one into a facility but you must weight out what is best for them and where will they receive the care that they need. You have to ask yourself "...can I really provide the care my loved one needs here at home?" and you must be totally honest. If the answer is no then you must start to look for the right facility to place them in.