Alzheimer's started with speech problems

Have you ever been tired and found the right word hard to come by?  Ever mispronounce a word?  Over time, I've become very sensitized to how often I do it, and the frequency I see it in others.  As often as I see it in others, I rarely saw my wife, Marcia have any difficulty talking -- frequency or clarity!!

How would I describe Marcia?  Organized, compassionate, spunky, fun, articulate...

In October of 2008, Marcia felt something was not right with her speech.  Honestly, I didn't see anything that concerned me.  Our conversations and time together was usually later in the evening, after the kids' were either winding down or in bed.  Marcia must be tired, right?

By March of 2009, Marcia's concern that something was not quite right convinced me we should have an evaluation.  Her OBGYN recommended a neurologist in Flemington, NJ.  This doctor asked a few questions, did a few tests and had an MRI scheduled to get a look at Marcia's brain.  The results of the MRI were completely normal.  The diagnosis we were given?  Nothing was wrong (which was a relief to me) and that Marcia was probably imagining a problem existed when none did.  While I felt good that there appeared to be nothing to worry about, this doctors "bed side manner", in hindsight,was more condescending than helpful.  His assessment of Marcia seemed not just awkward and unprofessional, but as I learned a few years later, was more incompetent medical care than good news.

Over the course of the next 12 months, Marcia's concern grew, and so did that of family and friends.  During this year, Marcia became more frustrated, yet to those who didn't know Marcia well, you would not have noticed anything that wouldn't be considered "normal". 

There were three incidents that occured during the summer of 2009 that really stand out, including one chilling prediction.  The night before I was scheduled to present at our company brand planning meetings, Marcia told me she believed she had Alzheimer's Disease and that she didn't believe she would live longer than age 52.  Like 99% of the population, I knew about Alzheimer's, but not in someone who only six weeks earlier had just turned 49 years old, and was about as fit as any 39 year old could be.  I'm pretty sure I slept no more than 2 hours that night.

The other two incidents occured pretty close together, and more than anything, made Marcia appear normal.  She lost a CD a co-worker of mine loaned to us.  Could have been left in a hotel, on the plane or any number of places.  But it never turned up.  To me, everyone misplaces,  looses, leaves something behind.  But being the most organized person on earth, this certainly was out of place.  The other thing I remember was my daughter Riley giving Marcia her camera disk to get pictures she had taken during our Outer Banks beach vacation.  This 1" by 1" piece of plastic also could be rationalized as so small, anyone could have lost it.  But it never turned up and Riley was upset.  While we've seen Marcia angry or frustrated before, when Riley started to cry about the lost disc, Marcia snappped, saying "I'm sorry I lost your disk!  I hate myself!!"  Riley, Ryan and I were all stunned and the subsequent silence was unbelievable.  Having never seen this from Marica before, we didn't really know how to respond.  I really wanted to sooth things over and while I don't remember what I said to Marcia, or what she said to me, what my daughter said to me when I told her we'll try to find the picture card was something far beyond her 13 years.  She said, "I don't care about the picture card.  I'm worried about mom...."