Posted 7-30-19
This week marked the beginning of the 31st season of a pop phenomenon: Shark Week. Despite the fact that, on average, there are “only” less than 100 (verified) shark attacks WORLDWIDE with one fatality last year, we love to hate sharks. Mosquito Week, “celebrating” the organism responsible for killing 750,000 people worldwide, more than the number of murders, people killed by poisonous snakes and by wild dogs combined, has yet to get picked up my the major networks. Alzheimer’s Week, “celebrating” the one in three seniors who die with Alzheimer’s and related dementias will surely get picked up sooner, right??? Heck, Dolphin Week, celebrating the super intelligent mammals with apparently the best marketing department in the animal kingdom, may have a better chance of making TV than the real killers. (Note these articles about dolphins before swimming with these savages: Link 1 , Link 2, Link 3, and Link 4.)
So, why don’t we like to talk or think about Alzheimer’s?
Simple List:
- Because it is ugly. We don’t like ugly, we like interesting. We like scary. We like water cooler talk. However, talking about a loved one’s incontinence and inability to talk, after a life lived as a scientist, a comedian, an artist, a singer, or a President, is just not pretty enough to discuss.
- Because it is actually scarier because it could really happen regardless of your age, gender, race, sexual orientation or lack thereof, hair color, favorite baseball team, etc… (See list above)
- Because they have lived a long life, in many cases. (Watch for a future article about Eugenics). The unspoken Cliff’s Notes here is that we only have value if we can do stuff for other people and otherwise we are just taking up resources. Therefore, late stage Alzheimer’s patients like mom should be killed in the name of fixing overpopulation. Overpopulation, in this sense, is not just a fraud, it is an unworthy excuse to promote abortion, euthanasia, and a host of ultra-left, often racist ideas. (Investigate Margaret Sanger‘s beliefs about races that she didn’t like…)
- Because it is a slow death more often than not. We love to talk about how sad it is that some celebrity is gone, but if they suffer for a dozen or more years, we have a disconnect between what made them famous and when they died. They are just a blip on Facebook that says they have died. (Half of the time when you click on the link you find that it was actually 3 years ago that they had died and you just now noticed… after sharing the post expressing your super-sad frowny emoji and gathering up some similar posts lamenting the long passed passing.)
So what? What is your point, digital cornbread boy? I dig the sharks.
My point is please, by all means, enjoy Shark Week. They are interesting creatures and the more we know about them, hopefully we can reduce the mass hunting of them before they go extinct. But please support Alzheimer’s research; please advocate for bills that help patients, families and seniors in general; please visit nursing homes and get to know these men and women… and love on them. They are alone and scared, much more than some puppy or cat on a tear-jerking TV commercial or than a seal or tuna about to become supper on Shark Week… and these men and women are made in the image of God; please give to organizations like the non-profit that employees me and the Alzheimer’s Association who help these precious folks and their families; and please walk in a Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease event in a town near you. Heck, join my little team if you like. 😉 ; Please do anything that you can think of that may help raise funds to help find a cure. If you want, hop in a steel cage and swim with sharks for a cure. ;). Or maybe sing this song over and over and over and over and over until all of your neighbors are willing to give.
Remember, if you or a loved one is struggling with symptoms, not talking to friends, family and your doctor about this menace doesn’t make it go away any more than just thinking it is safe to go back into the water actually makes it safer……….. Talk to your doctor today so you can be prepared.
#EndALZ
Update: Nice visit with mom yesterday. All is going ok in her transition to the general population. She has a nice roomie. Living in the general population reminds me of a little clown fish exploring the ocean with its wild and unusual creatures (as in Finding Nemo). Two of the original Sweet 17 are in her hall now and it is nice to see their familiar faces even if they are not familiar to mom. Mom is having rash issues again, a constant battle and one that could lead to worse things if we don’t stay on top of it. What a disease. 🙁
Bonus: Some Shark, old-school style.