Posted 2/7/19
Mom never did embrace the computer world. For years and years, she knew her memory wasn’t good and she had extensive experience with caring for people in nursing homes, so she understood Alzheimer’s. I suspect that she could see the writing on the wall. 🙁 She spent a couple years fighting memory loss playing computer brain games…but getting there was always hard. Mom finally asked us to reset her game site password to “headache” because “this stupid thing gives me a headache! “. That actually worked for a while.
I am an IT professional and was thinking about Alzheimer’s through an IT filter as I drove the other day. In a computer, there are a couple of primary places that memories are stored, if you will. The brain is, we think, somewhat similar. In a computer, the hard drive is the file cabinet of all long-term memories. You store programs, files, pictures, documents, and the like in this precision tool. Similarly, but different, RAM (Random Access Memory) holds memories as well, but in a different way. The things that RAM holds, by and large, are erased when the computer is turned off and/or unplugged. It holds critical data that your computer uses to perform basic functions and without said data cannot function.
The brain has similar functionality. While I am not a scientist, I have studied this mush pile a lot over the last few years. I think I will begin a little series about the many parts of the brain and how scientists think Alzheimer’s breaks each, based on what stage you are in. Summary: Parts are like a hard drive. Others are like RAM. Some have workarounds. Some kill you if they fail. Stay tuned for my brain series, starting soon. 🙂
Mom’s favorite thing to joke with me when I used to tell her about my job is “The only thing I know about a computer is it starts with a K.” 🙂 She is still a very funny woman in her new reality, but I miss her saying that.
She had a good morning after a good night’s sleep, surprising given the extreme weather her town had. I will post an update later, too, perhaps. Keep thoughts and prayers for the terminal Sweet 17 gem that I mentioned yesterday was struggling. She is an unforgettable one, but only to the few that come to see her these days. Peace and comfort for her…
This stupid disease needs to go.
#EndALZ
