It's
often said that with the passing of years, people mellow down, in
corresponding and with the gradual proportion as they age. They are less
belligerent, less frisky, less aggressive in their attitude or pursuit
of their purposes. They are more patient, more tolerant, more
understanding, and being more themselves, instead of trying to live up
to what's expected of them, imitating or competing with images they
admire in others. All sound good and sensible, except for the aches and
pains that also, and almost inevitably, come with old age. When the
sufferings of old age are limited to just aches and pains, those are the
luckier ones as, to a certain degree, remedies are available, again, to
a certain degree.
Unfortunately,
for some, the change is so drastic, a perfectly healthy old person, or
even some not so old, can lose their entire world as they have known it,
practically over night, to become walking and breathing images of
themselves without souls, not even conscious of their own being. They
posses reasonable health and energy, they respond to greetings and
affections, they smile and laugh when you do, even though with no idea
why. They offer nothing and demand nothing. They are just there, being
... like someone I once knew, JB.
He
passed away several years ago, but he turns up once in a while in my
memory, when I see others like him, suffered what I guessed at the time
of his strange change which was later confirmed by the communication
from his only son, that he suffered Alzheimer. To me, the most fearsome
disease of all, much more so than any kind of physical incapacity or
pain.
He
was not exactly a friend, although we had shared casual conversations
and an occasional coffee once in while. He was the Honorary Counsel of
Britian in Spain, living with his wife in Roses. Being in his respected
position, I once asked him to witness my personal details listed in an
application form for the renewal of my passport. His beloved wife took
ill soon after, cancer, and a few months later, she died.
Within
weeks, I began to notice the rapid deterioration in him, not so much
his health, but in his appearance and behaviour. He walked with much
slower pace, almost like he had to struggle with each step; he seemed to
wander without a fixed purpose of where he was heading, as he would
turn in mid path and started walking back from the direction he came
from. He was unkempt, unshaven, untidy, sometimes with half a shirt tail
hanging outside his trousers. He stopped greeting me when he passed the
Cafe where I sat each day ... in fact he never greeted anybody any
more.
I
had exchange email once with his son in England on an inquiry JB
thought his son could help, and he had given me the son's phone number.
Being extremely worried about JB's abrupt change, I phoned his son, and
he came over, taking the father back with him to UK. Merely a couple of
months later, when I phone again to inquire about JB's condition, only
then the son told me he had passed away, victim of Alzheimer.
I
suspect he died really more of a broken heart than Alzheimer. This
disease doesn't really kill you I don't think, but it takes your life
away before you are ready, leaves you walking and breathing but
lifeless. And it affects not just the person with this curse, but his
family and friends who do know what is happening yet totally helpless.
The pain, desperation and suffering is probably just as much if not more
than the affected, as they also carry the fear of the inexorable doom
that the sick person is unaware of.
When would the medical investigations and laboratories concentrate
more on such horrible and degrading diseases, Alzheimer, cancer,
tumours, leukaemia ... and hasten up the discovery of solutions for
human dignity, like the speed they employ and apply in developing new
technology, machines, 3D digital and all that?
Awake
Annoyed
Anxious