Takes one to know one

In response to a request I recently received from the local Baltimore area Alzheimer's Association, I am happy to share my experience as a relatively young person with Alzheimer's disease. I was diagnosed with what is known in the clinical jargon as "early onset" Alzheimer's Disease in January 2006. I have been blessed with a relatively slow progression of the disease for now, but the future is murky. As of now, there is certainly no "cure" for this disease, and all of us with the illness live, as we should, one day at a time. It would seem that I may be in a position to be of help to those who are concerned about the effects of Alzheimer's disease. The accelerating pace of the incidence of this condition should be of concern to all. A world in which acuity is diminishing inexorably, signals a massive decline in productivity, exploding health care costs, and overall decline in quality of life. I have three children of my own, and I hope to see a day when this potentially debilitating condition can become a memory. For now, however, it is my feeling that we need a war on the degradation of acuity that is rapidly creeping into the fabric of our collective consciousness. This illness has the potential to make our children paupers and our breadwinners inefficient. We must act, NOW.