I Lost My Father to Alzheimer's Disease

It seems like only yesterday I was awakened at 7 o'clock. As I answered the telephone, I quickly recognized it was my mother. She sounded frantic, afraid; her voice trembled in a way I never heard before. If my dad was the boss or the king of the castle, my mother was always the guardian angel, the rock that kept the household secure and safe. To be in my parents presence was to be at peace. But my mother at that moment was not the rock, nor was she at peace as she pleaded, "there is something wrong with your dad." Before I could ask, I could hear my father yelling, "Where did you put Rose? Where did you put Rose?"

My mom answered, "Daddy, I am Rose. I'm your wife." She sobbed saying, "Your son is on the line. Talk to him. Please."

Losing someone you love is very difficult, but losing one to Alzheimer's disease is devastating. There are certain things you always feel will be forever; the love your parents have for you and the love they have for one another. To grow old together, to take walks, to share memories and cherished experiences make life for each couple unique and cherished.

Alzheimer's disease is the great imposter, the great thief. It robs that which is shared by a couple, their memories and their aspirations leaving two people who once were inseparable as strangers. Nancy Reagan has called Alzheimer's disease the "very long good-bye." At first Alzheimer's sets in ever so slowly, so that its effects are barely recognizable. Then it snatches one's essence, memories of our most beloved.

My father was right in front of my mother. She could touch him, she could hear him, but he could not be reached nor could he understand her pleas. Alzheimer's devastates the very essence of relationships, the very essence of family. It was heart wrenching to see my father, my mentor, my closest friend and confidant evaporate mentally. His physical presence only stood as a memorial stone of the man, father, husband that he once was.

I wrote the Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription to help others avoid this devastating disease. My father worked two jobs to put me through medical school. I cannot save him now but maybe I can save you.

My name is Dr. Vincent Fortanasce. I am a neurologist of thirty-two years. My father knew me as "Vinnie Ole Sox," an endearment since the first day my dad took me to Ebbets field in Brooklyn t o see the Dodgers. "Da Brooklyn Bums," my dad called them as they never seemed to be able to win the "Big One" against those "Damn Yankee's." There at Ebbets field I met Tommy La Sorda, a friend of my dad's. It would be a planned reunion of my Dad and Tommy, both of whom had not seen one another for some 50 years, which would begin the story of my Dad's decline with Alzheimer's disease.

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In the ensuing blogs I will discuss my personal trials and tribulations with Alzheimer's disease from a personal and clinical standpoint. I will also share how and why I researched specific methods to prevent Alzheimer's disease detailed in my book, The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription. I hope my story will help you and those you love to prevent Alzheimer's disease and live a long and healthy life.

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Dr. Vincent Fortanasce has helped thousands of individuals over a prestigious medical career of nearly four decades as a world-renowned neurologist, psychiatrist, and rehabilitation specialist. He also is a regular host on St. Joseph's Radio, a worldwide syndicated radio program. He has appeared on the following television programs: 60 Minutes, The Diane Sawyer Show, CNN, The Charles Grodin Show, Hard Ball, The Dr. Phil Show, and KABC News. He has been quoted in The New Yorker, Time Magazine, Washington Review, and many other newspapers. He is a member of Legatus, the Knights of Malta, and on the board of directors for the National Catholic Bioethics Committee.

Dr. Fortanasce presents a unique four-step program to prevent or delay Alzheimer's disease for anyone at any age in his breakthrough book, The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription: The Science-Proven Plan to Start at Any Age (Gotham, August 2008), available now on www.Amazon.com. All royalties from The Anti-Alzheimer's Prescription will be donated to charities dealing with Alzheimer's disease and Life Issues. For more information visit www.anti-alzheimer's.com

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The Fortanasce Neurology Center is dedicated to providing quality patient care with unrelenting attention to clinical excellence, promoting wellness and an unparalleled compassion and commitment to assure the very best healthcare to all those in need with disorders of the Nervous System.