Brain Tumors, seizures, dementia and “Alive Inside”

Had a brain tumor? What about seizures? Worried about them, too? Does Dementia scare the snot out of you?

I have this fear of somebody sticking me in a corner and drooling when I’m too brain damaged from all of the above to know who I am or who my family is.

Surprisingly, it seems like one solace for folks with Alzheimer’s disease is music, especially music that the victim likes. In fact, in this excerpt from an upcoming documentary entitled “Alive Inside,” music reaches, inspires and engages patients in a way that nothing else has been able to do.

I dare you to watch this youtube.com video that’s got over nine million hits and not feel a little chill run up your spine.

John

PS – And here’s a link to the ABC post on all this by Katie Moisse: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AlzheimersCommunity/alzheimers-disease-music-brings-patients-back-life/story?id=16117602 

CNN: “The 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's“

One of my many worries is that my brain tumor related damage will lead to early onset of Alzheimer’s. So I appreciated this year-old article written by Ben Tinker and posted on CNN Health last July: http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/18/health/alzheimers-warning-signs/index.html 

Here’s the crux of the article:

“If you suspect a family member or friend is developing Alzheimer's, take a look at these 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's Disease, put together by the Alzheimer's Association:

1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life
2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
4. Confusion with time or place
5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
8. Decreased or poor judgment
9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
10. Changes in mood and personality

Rather than diagnose Alzheimer's disease at home, head to your doctor's office. You can also find more information at www.alz.org, or by calling the Alzheimer's Association's 24-hour hotline at (800) 272-3900.”

Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_20235880_brain-disease-with-memory-loss-due-to-dementia-and-alzheimer.html'>lightwise / 123RF Stock Photo</a>