Mer your car keys. Leave the stove. Forget the name of a parent from your child’s school. Memory losses as these are common, especially when we are tired or we have a lot in our minds. But in some cases, forgetting, especially if it becomes more frequent or more serious, can be a sign of something more serious. For Rebecca Luna, 48, it was. After a series of cognitive and scans tests, a neurologist told her that she had Alzheume d’Alzhemwhich affects people under 65, many of whom their 1940s and 50s. She shared her diagnosis in a Viral tiktok post Last month and decided to document his trip. (She too started a gofundme To cover her medical expenses and help support his family.) In this interview with Yahoo Life, Luna shares her first symptoms, which is to live with early Alzheimer’s disease, the good advice she has received from foreigners and how she manages life now.
Two years ago, I was in a fairly stressful period in my life. I lived in a way in a rapid and multitasking multitasking way. I am in recovery and I am a full -time single parent. I also have ADHD. So I was stressed, unnecessary to say, and therefore any (memory tricks) that were happening at that time, I went to perimenopause.
I have been in my work for a few years. When I opened the computer (one morning) and looked at it, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to start. Normally, you would start your work and you would say to yourself: “Oh, I have to do that.” I had no idea. There was just … nothingness.
Two things happened (then) that were obviously (signs that) something was happening. I was boiling an egg. I left it on the stove, then I walked in the city center, which is half an hour of walking. When I arrived in the city center, I realized that I had left the stove. I ran to my house and my house was covered with smoke. So it literally attracted my house on fire.
(Another time) I was in the gymnasium. I finished my training and went to my car. I am never someone who loses his keys. I get into my car. I’m looking for my keys. I look through my bag. I can’t find it. I look under the seats. I say to myself: “It’s weird.” And then I went to the rear seat and I looked on top of the car because sometimes I have a coffee and will put it above my car. It was not there. I looked under the car. Not there. I said to myself: “Ok, it’s ridiculous.”
I made a whole swoop again – inside, outside, on the back seat – then I sat and I just stopped for a minute. And then I heard the car. The car was on and the keys were in contact. My car was all this time. I had completely failed the process of penetrating, putting the key and turning the ignition.
Be diagnosed and be denied
I fought with mental health and I had a psychiatrist at the time. She did cognitive tests and I was failing them. About nine months ago, I saw the neurologist for the first time. He did two hours (cognitive test). I failed that one. Then he looked at my MRI, looked at other things noted by the psychiatrist, and he just entered with Alzheimer’s brochures in early start. There was no diagnosis at that time. It was his suspicion. (Additional test, including it Medial temporal atrophy (MTA) The score, which is a diagnostic tool for dementia, has led to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s early early.)
I have two children. My eldest daughter is a planner. So, his first answer was like: “Ok, well, do I need to buy a house that can welcome you and I will take care of you?” And then my younger daughter, it’s almost as if it was not new for her because she looked at me all this time. But she just told me recently that she was in denial.
My mother did not believe me either, and therefore about two months ago, I sent him one of the clinical notes (of the doctor) where he put Alzheimer’s on it. And she lost it then because I think she didn’t believe him until she came on a piece of paper.
It’s so weird. I don’t care that all the time because it is generally who I am. I like to keep things a little light and funny. It is important for me to make fun of myself, to keep my morale high for people around me, but I also need it because it is so serious. I could totally take this and do an isolation / depression hanger, and I don’t want to do that.
Become viral on social networks
I was looking everywhere for resources. My partner and I really felt alone because our family was in denial, and we did not feel like we could talk to anyone. There were only a few people (with young Alzheimer’s) on (Tiktok), and I just thought about it: “I’m going to put a video there.” And it has 2 million views, which is crazy.
I think all the suggestions (viewers commenting on the video) were so incredible. They are incredible for Alzheimer’s disease early, but I honestly think that suggestions are great for everyday life, really. I mean, to minimize things in your house, what I just did the other day – it was really useful. (A commentator has suggested making a favorite song reading list to stay connected to yourself.) I will do it 100%.
Someone said to newspaper what I do during the day because what is one of my new things is that I shower and then two hours later, I feel like I need to take a shower. I forget, so I try to plan a shower, but I already had one. So people say: “Write what you have already done during the day” as you do, which is shiny because when I forget that I took a shower, I can just look and see that I did.
Another who is at the top of my task list is to involve a family member to participate in a bank account for me. It was a suggestion of a tiktker.
I care so much about the others who feel heard and heard and seen and supported, but see this community, which is even more important, and I just want them to know. The answer was so incredible.
If you are a loved one (someone with Alzheimer’s), my suggestion is to meet them where it is. What I found really useful with my partner is not to be questioned but recalled, and to believe them. And give them a hug. Tell them you love them. Because really, if I am completely honest, what I need is a hug of my family.
