National Alzheimer's month.....

 A Friend of Mine wrote the following which i think bears repeating...  National Alzheimer Month is September is just that. We do observe this month, as we also do in November. 

It's confusing to me to say the least. One is National, and one is, well something else.

We take it one step further, saying that we bring Awareness & Support everyday. I know when "they" designate a day or month for this disease, "they" mean well.

But in my opinion, it takes away the credibility of the ones who fight this horrid disease everyday. Be it a patient or caregiver.

I have been called on this for years now. People saying ridiculous things like "Rick doesn't recognize this month, must not fit into his mind scheme" or "Once again, he is bucking the system"

Neither of these and all the other accusations could be further from the truth. I feel the same way about Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

When you take a month, day, or week to recognize any disease, in my mind its saying we are going all out to bring Awareness & Support to this disease this month, then it's back to normal.

There is no normal with dementia. There is only the "new normal". We simply have to bring Awareness everyday. Even then we are losing traction.

Some people write their Congressman, some sign petitions, and some go all out for these designated months. My thing is and always has been this does nothing. 

At least not what we all want it to do. When you sign a petition, the only real thing you are doing is satisfying your own self interests in whatever it is you are petitioning about.

I can tell you with 100% confidence if President Obama or any other President received a petition with over a million signatures for say caregiver funding, nothing would happen. Nothing. 

That's the world we live in. Don't get upset with me, I'm just the messenger here.

I have been to Washington. With hundreds of advocates and patients through the Alzheimer Association, all lobbying for more funding. They do this every year, and to date, nothing has changed.

What you have when this is done, is just another group walking the halls on Congress or the Senate wanting money. It happens many times a day. 

When we were there, we talked to one Senator and we only talked to him cause I flagged him down in the hallway. We were told he was not available to meet with us when we were in his office.

And we told our story once again to a staffer. Discouraging? To say the least. But this is how it works. There is not one Senator or Congressman that is going to introduce any Bill that deals with raising taxes. 

It's just not going to happen. What people need to realize is from the day these pin heads are sworn in, they are in re-election mode. And raising taxes for anything is not going to get them elected.

The only way there will anything done about funding for this disease is when the American people wake up, and there is overwhelming support for change.

Then, these people in office realize it would be in their best interest to put a Bill together, it would then be political correct. And in their interest. Their ability to get once again re-elected. 

So, we do acknowledge this month as National Alzheimer Awareness Month. But, I have seen what attention this disease gets in Washington. And it is in Washington where the funds will have to come from to find a cure for this disease. 

I have heard the year 2025 for a cure. Twelve years? At the rate this thing is going, it could be twelve decades. 

Some may disagree with my analogy, and that is fine. But I have been there, walking the halls of Congress, and the Senate. And I can tell you without a shadow of doubt, they don't care. 

And that is the cold hard truth of it...