Claude Schneider of Gainesville lost his wife of 62 years, Mary, to Alzheimer’s disease in August.
But their journey began about nine years ago, when he began noticing changes in her.
“She just started losing her memory. She would get into the wrong car or she would get frustrated with the checking account,” Schneider said in an interview at the couple’s home before Mary’s death.
“That’s the most frustrating time for (Alzheimer’s patients),” he said. “They realize they’re losing it, and they can’t do a darn thing about it. Whereas, now, she’s lost it, but it doesn’t bother her anymore.”
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most feared diagnoses on the planet. It isn’t just incurable. It can be slow and terrible in its progression, as sufferers lose all awareness of people and surroundings.
Dementia: A devastating diagnosis, memories lost and moments cherished
