Running For Their Thoughts: Week 1, Run 1

Week One Run one!  To the Top, for their Thoughts - I'll keep running until $100,000 is raised!


Week One:
I kicked off the "official" campaign 13 June 2017.  I started about 5 miles down the hill and ran switchbacks up to the top (2300ft in elevation change).  10 miles in total.  Definitely a challenging run and I'll push a little further by backing down the mountain a little more every time.


Each week I'll run it again and tell you a little about dementia and my family's journey.  Some weeks hopefully I'll make you laugh, others I may make you cry (or at least make myself cry). 


FTD hits people in their prime.  My mom was only 56.  She was very aware of what was happening to her.  Her memory was intact but her communication skills and executive functions were deteriorating  It started out small...she would have troubles finding words....or she would stand in front of the sink, knowing she was supposed to do something, tears filling her eyes....  Then someone would walk over and hand her the washcloth and it would trigger a light and she'd start washing the dishes.  


Eventually she became mute.


She lost her job.


She lost her license.


All the while she was aware what was happening to her.


The dementia progressed and things became harder and hard for her. 


Her muscles began to atrophy and she began to limp, first her right side started to show paralysis.


Eventually she was wheelchair bound.  ...


We had to puree her food....


At 61 she let go.


There is not a single treatment or cure for FTD.  


Not one thing my family could do to help her.


Bluefield Project to Cure Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is working hard to find a cure and working with research and medical institutes across the nation.  With them, there is hope.  And many researchers believe that if they can figure out a cure for FTD it will open up the doors to cure other dementias. 


 I'll go into more detail in future posts.  Please consider joining the campaign. #ForTheirThoughts  #CureFTD.