Can one forget what pain is?

Can one forget what is sleeping or standing or sitting?

Can one forget what eating is?

Can one forget one’s own children?

Can one forget what pain is?

The answer to all the questions is a big YES. These are the most disturbing effects of one of the most feared diseases that afflicts a person in their old age : The Alzheimer’s Disease.

My nani (maternal grandma) has started showing the signs of the disease and the worst part is its incurable. I mean, yesterday I went to visit her and I got very pathetic blank looks from her. Not that she meant those looks, i.e. when mom asked her “ Ki dekcho Maa ? ” ( What are you looking at mother?) she simply replied ” Kichu na to, kichu dekchi na to ” ( Nothing, am looking at nothing), and the reply was barely audible or for that matter intelligible. It really hurt to see this.

AD is a degenerative terminal disease of the brain. It mostly comes to people who are over 65 yrs of age ( my grandma is 75) but it is seen in ages much lower than this too ( as shown in the bollywood film U Me aur Hum ). But till date the scientists have been unable to get to the reason behind this ailment. Yeah they do say its about the destruction of the plaques and tangles of the brain but they don’t know it for sure till date. Even the activities suggested to prevent of the disease are not too effective ( mental activities and healty food is suggested by the way).

I hope it all becomes Ok and she doesn’t reach that stage which many a people say that she will ; the stage when one cant recognise anyone and wont to be able to speak; the stage when one wont be able to remember what sleeping is; the stage when one becomes unable to tell what pain is.