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Today in Mississippi
September 2013
Dealing with Alzheimer’s A former caregiver and a patient share their stories By Debbie Stringer Stan McCarver, 64, of Olive Branch was winding down a 40-year career in public education when he first noticed something was wrong. “I found myself beginning to have tremors,” he said. “I got to the point where I could hardly write. I also became very tired, very exhausted by noon every day at school.” Suspecting Parkinson’s disease, which had afflicted his grandmother, McCarver consulted a doctor. Testing by a neurologist ruled out Parkinson’s, and an MRI revealed no evidence of stroke. After further tests for other possible causes, McCarver’s doctor diagnosed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. McCarver was only 62. Alzheimer’s is extremely difficult to diagnose. There is no one test that conclusively identifies the disease; diagnosis is a process of ruling out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
“I found myself gasping for breath, almost like a person with an anxiety attack, but I’ve never had that before. I think what’s happening with me is I can’t stand a variety of activities going on around me.”
mer financial professional who also counseled people with debt problems. In 2008 the Kelleys moved from Tulsa, Okla., to Olive Branch to be closer to two of their three children as his condition worsened. “The first two years we were here were the most intensive caregiving for me. Prior to moving here, I was still working full time and he was still driving and able to function,” Kelley said. George Kelley died two years later. “He died from prostrate cancer but we did not know he had it because of his
Marilyn Kelley’s husband, George, was 56 when she saw something about him that “wasn’t quite George.” After a visit with an internist, her husband was tested by a neuropsychologist. “They can tell by those tests what part of your brain is functioning normally,” said Kelley, a member of Northcentral Electric Power Association. George Kelley’s doctor diagnosed not Alzheimer’s but another form of dementia with a similar catastrophic impact on patient and caregiver alike. The disease first affected his ability to use and understand language. ‘There’s such a stigma attached to “Not only was he Alzheimer’s and dementia. People having difficulty fear it more than cancer.’ doing different — Marilyn Kelley tasks and problem solving, but he wasn’t “I was told the only way we can know making the you have Alzheimer’s is to do an autop- right decisy. I said I’m not ready for that so I’ll sions finanpass,” McCarver said. cially,” He recently began neurological testKelley ing to identify which areas of his brain said. are affected by the uncurable disease that Hanaffects memory, thinking and behavior. dling “I do not have really major memory money issues. I don’t have a problem driving. badly was Mine is more of a behavioral thing. I out of find myself becoming more agitated and character for wanting to withdraw,” McCarver said. her husband, a forMarilyn Kelley, Stan McCarver He can no longer tolerate busy social events. At a senior citizens dance, “I thought I was going to scream. I thought, get me out of here,” he said.
dementia,” Kelley said. “Because he was my spouse, I was committed to preserving his dignity, and this is a disease that challenges you every day with that,” she said. Those unrelenting challenges led Kelley to start a local support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “I just knew I needed to talk, and I needed to talk with other people who could relate and understand.” Kelley called the Mississippi chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in Ridgeland to ask for help in starting a caregivers support group at the Olive Branch Senior