The first time I heard a young couple say "We are pregnant," I was taken aback. What does that mean? "We are pregnant." I later decided that "we" was a perfect way to describe pregnancy. I am sure any husband who has lived through nine months of pregnancy with a female understands it even better than me. He may be the one who rushes out into the streets late at night to find fuel for the latest craving. He is the one who comforts when the tears come for no apparent reason at any given moment. He is the one who cries with her when they see the baby inside Mommy's tummy the very first time. He is the one who says, "I really wanted a boy...or girl...whatever the sonagram shows."
Now let's travel forward a few decades and guess what? "We" have Alzheimer's. Although the diagnosis has been given to my husband, is there seriously anyone out there who wouldn't believe that the diagnosis belongs to both of us?
What does it mean? It means just about everything the diagnosis of "you are pregnant" means to the young couple. It means our entire future is forever changed. It means we have to prepare. It means we have to support each other more than we have ever had to do in the past. It means there is something even more important than us that needs attention. It means that life as we have known it is no more.
Oh well, Jerry has the diagnosis, but yeah..."we" have Alzheimer's.
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