I was talking to my hairdresser yesterday about my memory.

Actually we were discussing Maureen Reagan's recent remarks about the first time her dad exhibited signs of Alzheimer's. She said the family was chatting over dinner about a movie he had made in the `50s. He asked a couple of questions, and then announced that he had absolutely no recollection of ever having made such a film.

This comment came out during what appeared to be an announcement that former President Reagan's Alzheimer's is worsening.

So, I'm talking about this with Carol and I tell her I've never had a good memory.

“Really?” she asked. “You remember the names of your school teachers, don't you?”

“No,” I said. Actually I've been trying, since our conversation, and I've come up with first grade, third grade, fifth grade, ninth grade algebra. I'm quite proud of myself.

A few years back, a psychologist helped me to understand why I have no early memory. It's called PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder.

As a child we know well how to enjoy the moment and I never let go of that ability. In fact I developed it. It was the way I survived. I chose to live for the present moment for more reasons than you can imagine. I won't bore you today with my childhood stresses, since I'm sure many of you have enough of your own, to try to remember or forget.

My point, if I have one today, is that I do not understand as much about Alzheimer's disease as I'd like to. My heart aches for those who are labeled with such terms. I want to know more. Is it a genetic thing? Or, is it an overload of sorts that shorts out parts of the brain. Or was it a choice at some point in time? Is the genetic predisposition there and is disease triggered by the stress we go through?

Oh yes, I have many questions. And folks like Elaine Gaillard and Floy Farr of Peachtree City are determined to help me find answers.

They have set their minds and energy toward raising public awareness with the first ever south side Memory Walk, coming in September.

I just invited Elaine to do a guest column in The Community Health Focus for the months of April through August. So, yeah, I want to help raise awareness, too. And I think Dr. Paul Colon is going to get on board as well. His mom died with Alzheimer's, and he just opened Governor's Glen in Forest Park, which I understand is dedicated to caring for patients with memory impairment.

Elaine was telling me this morning that a recent Memory Walk in San Diego raised a quarter of a million dollars. Great, huh? Not really. Not when you consider that there are reported to be an estimated 60,000 individuals in the San Diego area with Alzheimer's. And at a recent fund-raiser there for AIDS, $3 million was raised, while approximately 6,000 folks in the San Diego area have AIDS.

There are limited funds to help care for those with memory impairment. And there's nowhere near enough money for all the research that is needed to appropriate a cure. This is about to be a major problem in America.

At the present time, 70 percent of those with memory impairment are cared for in the home by family care givers. We are told that 76 percent of these care givers work outside the home.

Not good.

The early symptoms include forgetting ordinary functions, getting lost, being unable to name common objects like a pen or calendar or comb, etc. A victim may lose things frequently, and exhibit loss of interest, unusual behaviors, and puzzling mood changes. Then comes loss of speech, reason and judgement.

Care is needed around the clock and many caregivers still have to punch clocks in order to make a living for themselves and other family members. There must be more awareness now. You never know what tomorrow may hold when society becomes overwhelmed with this problem. Some things should not be postponed.

Elaine and Floy are making it clear that this issue must be addressed now. I'm joining them. Call me at 770-460-5000 if you want to get involved, too. Knowledge and numbers make a difference. The money will come.

Hopefully, the money will come before our memories start to go. Now that I have some degree of memory, I'd like to hold on to it for as long as I can. How about you? Call Elaine at Ashley Glen in Peachtree City (770-631-0205) or call me if you want to help raise awareness and money for Alzheimer's research.

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