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Some background:

My mother has Alzheimer’s Disease, first noticed about 10 years ago, and now lives in a memory/assisted living center. I’ve studied the disease, interviewed professionals, and blog about her on occasion, in hopes of helping myself, and others, learn about this horrible “long good-bye” disease. From the heartbreak of losing Mom, to the heartbreak and frustration of watching my dad cope with her decline, to participating in the Alzheimer’s Foundation fundraising walks, my sisters and I often feel helpless. There’s just not much we can do.

In February 2006, in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, the lead character’s mother “woke up” from her Alzheimer’s Disease. You can read more about it here, because I blogged about it at the time.

In my post, I stated that I could find no other reference anywhere online that cited an Alzheimer’s patient experiencing hours of lucidity.

Then, a few days ago, I heard from Loretta. I was stunned at her email. (Shared below.)

It seems, in fact, that this awakening, this seemingly unbelievable “coming to,” may not be unheard of after all. Is it possible that it happens more frequently than we think? Is it possible it is “covered up” or at least ignored by the organizations that could help us become aware?

This possibility raises dozens of questions…. some of which we may explore on this page. I offer it as a resource for those of us who want to ask these questions, and perhaps find some answers, and to create a central location where we can begin learning more.

Please contact me, or comment below, if you’d like to join this discussion. I believe there may be others out there who have had this experience with their loved ones, but have somehow been told it wasn’t important, or it didn’t really happen — anything — to discount it.

I believe we can learn from them, although I’m not sure how. Maybe YOUR responses will give us some clues.

If you prefer to write to me and not comment below, please do so at epablog(at)diagKNOWsis.org

So we’ll begin here, with Loretta’s email to me:

I was doing some research on the Internet re: the possibility of a temporary “awakening” of an Alzheimer’s patient and came upon your blog. (Typed in “Grey’s Anatomy Alzheimer’s”). In your blog for Feb. 6, 2007 you stated that: “Nowhere in my research could I find anything that says an Alzheimer’s patient can redevelop the clarity that Ellis Grey did on the TV show.”

You are correct in stating that there is nothing in the medical literature that we can find online that documents this phenomenon, but I am here to tell you that this DID happen to my Mom for about 10 hours on July 21, 2007. We actually videotaped her, and it truly was a mind-boggling event for all of us.

Just wanted you to know for the record that our entire family lived through this incredible experience and we have the tapes to prove it. Mom had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s about 5 years ago, yet on this ONE DAY she became as lucid as she ever had been and we “had her back with us” — her laughter, her sense of humor, her entire personality CAME BACK !!!!!!!!!!!! We had her call all six of her siblings around the country to talk with them so they could share in this momentous event also, and everyone was totally blown away by the experience!!!

She does have an upcoming appointment with a neuropsychologist at the Lahey Clinic here in Massachusetts who is very interested in her case, but other than this physician, no one else seems to be interested in it. I have called the Alzheimer’s Association, but only gotten pat answers like, “Well, yes, this can happen… it’s not unheard of,” but when you go to find any research studies about it — there are none. (At least, that we are aware of.)

Perhaps you are more connected to people actually doing research into this terrible disease?? Because, at least in my mother’s case, (and I can only speak for her case based on our unbelievable experience) those brain cells are NOT DEAD and my mother is “in there” somewhere –totally intact !!!!!!! (We theorize that the neuron synapses must have lined up in just the perfect configuration to allow them to “connect” and so she was “on.”) Incredible?? You bet !!!! But I am telling you that we witnessed it and have it on video.

God bless, Loretta in Massachusetts

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Readers? Comments? Let’s get this conversation started!