DIAGNOSIS

But concern about Mace’s health had to wait while Pam received a kidney transplant. Mace wasn’t a match, but he donated one anyway to someone else who needed one. Donors must be in excellent health to donate.

When Mace was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the doctor told him to start getting his a airs in order immediately and to take a family trip soon.

“We weren’t surprised by the diagnosis,” Pam said, “but we were still shocked. He is the healthiest person I know. I have had the health issues, so we thought I’d be the rst to go. ( e diagnosis) was reorienting as we think about the future.”

Travis added: “When the diagnosis came, it was not a surprise, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. It was really tough. For me, initially, it was a mad scramble to try to nd a cure and treatments. Immediately, we have to gure out nances, putting things into a trust, maybe we need to build a house on my parents’ property so we can take care of them. In hindsight, I was trying to control something uncontrollable.”

Since his diagnosis nearly ve years ago, Mace is losing more cognitive abilities: he no longer drives a car, he sometimes has di culty sadness for both the person with

Plus caregivers, who want to take care of their loved one themselves, face stress and depression because they become xated on caring for the other person, not themselves. She said caregivers must take care of themselves and lean on family members and friends for support.

Coping with Alzheimer’s Travis said Mace has had sayings during races and life. In fact, Mace has a tattoo that says “It’s all good training” on his forearm because he believes there’s value in going

WANT TO GO TO THE CONFERENCE?

• The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is hosting a free Alzheimer’s & Caregiving Educational Conference as part of its 2023 national Educating America Tour. It will be from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at the University of Denver’s Fritz Knoebel Events Center, 2044 E. Evans Ave., Denver. Travis and Mark Macy are speaking at the conference about Navigating Alzheimer’s a Mile at a Time. To register, visit www.alzfdn.org/tour.

• Mark and Travis Macy will be at the Evergreen Taphouse at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, for a book signing.

through something di cult. at’s Mace’s attitude toward Alzheimer’s disease.

e disease’s toll can be seen in the races that father and son have undertaken as time goes by. ey ran the Leadville 50-mile race in 2021, the Leadville Marathon in 2022, and they are planning to do the Leadville 10K this year.

“I have realized that winning doesn’t matter; I just want to run with my dad,” Travis explained.

e family knows that Mace’s health continues to deteriorate, so they are planning for the future while still trying to be present in the here and now.

Mace wants people to know that people with Alzheimer’s disease are like everyone else, and they go on with life, though a little di erently.

“Just love the person (with Alzheimer’s),” Pam said. “ ey are the same person. As things change, we will have to change. It’s not going to get easier.”

Pam, already patient with an optimistic outlook, said she’s learned that it’s OK to ask for help.