Kerekes: Why I walk to end Alzheimer’s disease
Local residents share their experiences with Alzheimer’s disease and invite others to walk with them at annual fundraiser
Valley Voices
Karla Kerekes/Courtesy photo
Editor’s Note: The Vail Daily is running testimonials leading up to the Rocky Mountain Walk to End Alzheimer’s event at Brush Creek Park in Eagle on Saturday, Sept. 21.
I first joined The Walk To End Alzheimer’s in memory of my Mother who suffered with Alzheimer’s disease for many years before passing away from an aneurysm in 2009. Back then, I had to leave the Vail Valley to participate in an Alzheimer’s Walk. I don’t remember the exact year I first joined the walk in Eagle but I have been participating ever since. Now I walk to honor my husband and in memory of my Mom.
My Mom lived in the town where I grew up in New Mexico. She finished her college degree at the age of 64 but by 70 was struggling with day-to-day responsibilities. I was commuting between Colorado and Ohio for work and began taking care of my mom’s affairs remotely.
We were so fortunate to find a wonderful caregiver who helped her stay in her apartment for a long time. I would arrange my work trips so that I could go visit her as often as possible. Once she needed 24-hour care I knew my job would not allow me to be there for her like I wanted.
I found employment in the Vail Valley and was able to visit my mom every other weekend. We moved her to a wonderful new facility in New Mexico which had four “homes” that enclosed a very nice courtyard where she had her own bedroom and shared a bath with the woman next door and this was within the setting with several huge trees. That was a heartbreaking experience for both of us.
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I don’t think she ever really felt at home there, no matter how hard everyone worked at caring for her. It was so painful to watch her decline. She talked less and less and hardly ever laughed. She had to be taken to the courtyard in a wheelchair. Her food had to be pureed. The disease had stolen my mom.
In 2021, my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s after being admitted to the Vail Hospital for hypercalcemia that spring. That was a very frightening experience. We were working in our yard when he began sounding confused. I thought he might have an urinary tract infection so we went to urgent care. After a blood test, the doctor kindly told Michael that if he were her father, she would tell him to go directly to the emergency room, which is what we did.
Once he was out of immediate danger, the hospital doctors tried to find a cause for his hypercalcemia. They ordered visits to oncologists, endocrinologists and neurologists. The appointment with the neurologist was at my request. I had a suspicion for a while that there was something wrong.
I recently learned that many Alzheimer’s patients are unaware they have the disease. It is called anosognosia. It is a condition where the person can’t recognize other health conditions or problems that they have. This has made caring for Michael a challenged as he does not understand why he can no longer drive, pay the bills, make financial decisions, use power tools, remember appointments, etc.
At times it upsets him that I now need to do these things. But that is the thing about Alzheimer’s with Michael. If I can just let some time pass, he has totally forgotten about it — at least for the short term.
I have found an approach to caregiving for Michael that has helped me avoid conflict (for the most part) called contented dementia. I think it is especially helpful since he has anosognosia. I take Michael to the Senior Spot which is a caregiver respite program run by Caregiver Connections.
Although we now go together as “volunteers,” I hope that someday I will be able to leave him there by himself. I do greatly enjoy being a volunteer, but I think at some point I will need to take advantage of the respite.
The breadth and impact of this disease is horrifying. I join our Rocky Mountain Walk to End Alzheimer’s every year in the hopes that if not in my life time, shortly thereafter, there will be a cure as well as prevention.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my dear family and all my friends and associates that so generously support my participation in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Even though the disease has taken away our time together, they are there for us. I send them my love and humble thanks.
On Saturday, Sept. 21, you can walk to help end Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia at the Rocky Mountain Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Brush Creek Park in Eagle. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. and takes you along the bike path in Eagle Ranch.
Please join my team, The Purple Dots, or feel free to make a donation at ACT.ALZ.org/goto/MichaelRowe. You can also start your own team, walk as an individual or donate by going to ACT.ALZ.org/rockymountain. To volunteer for the event or to become a sponsor, please contact Melinda Gladitsch at 970-471-0175 or gladmelinda@gmail.com. Together we can end Alzheimer’s.
