Some while ago, probably 20 years ago now, I read with some interest about a woman who had taken advantage of Oregon's Death with Dignity law. She was relatively young, in her 50's, as I recall, but had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She played a game of tennis, and then went to be euthanized. She left a husband and children.
I have often thought of her since reading of her decision. Certainly in the interim no cure for Alzheimer's has been found. The best that patients can hope for is better drugs, while they are in the early stages, or more enlightened care, while they are still functioning relatively well.
Marc Agronin relates in his book that his patients call to him, "Give me hope! Dr. Agronin. Give me hope!"
Yes, indeed.
The statistics I have read are bleak. 50% of those people who manage to live beyond the age of 80 will develop some form of dementia. Pretty annoying--do all you can to live longer and your reward is dementia?
And people are living longer. But in his book, Agronin tells stories about people with dementia who get some enjoyment from living, even after forgetting most of their former lives--especially when they are part of a group of people like themselves.
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