Author’s poetry shares experience of Alzheimer’s diagnosis

When Nancy Nelson was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 2013, she reacted by getting her affairs in order and then writing a book.

"It's a diagnosis that doesn't have a very fun ending and has a long walk attached to it," Nelson said. "Out of that, writing the book has brought me joy and understanding. I've found happiness in helping others and spreading the word."

This weekend, that long walk is literal as an estimated 32,000 to 35,000 people are expected to take part in the 2-mile Las Vegas Walk to End Alzheimer's at Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

"We've done the walk for several years, and for the last six years, it's been at the Fashion Show Mall," said Albert Chavez, the Southern Nevada regional director for the Alzheimer's Association. "We've outgrown the space. It's a great event that raises money for research, programs and services."

Registering for the walk is free, but individual walkers and teams are encouraged to raise money, and 60 percent of the funds raised go to local programs and services, while the remaining 40 percent goes to Alzheimer's research.

There is still no cure or proven preventative measures for the disease, but Chavez is encouraged that researchers are getting closer to those goals. He pointed out that for many years, the diagnosis was a process of elimination, where people with memory loss went through a number of tests to determine if there was some other cause for it. When everything else had been ruled out, doctors would determine it was probable Alzheimer's, but confirmation of the diagnosis could only be proven in an autopsy. Today, an MRI can determine that Alzheimer's disease is developing, sometimes as early as 20 years before symptoms manifest.

Among the services the Alzheimer's Association provides are family care consultation, support groups and education, not just across the valley, but in Pahrump, Mesquite and Laughlin. The association also helps provide medical alert safe return bracelets for Alzheimer's sufferers who might wander away from their safe environment, early stage programs that help prepare for later challenges and respite vouchers for caregivers who need a break.

The association also provides a toll-free 24-hour hotline at 800-272-3900.

"Any time of day that a person wants to find out information about the disease or any sort of resources they want to find out about, they can call us," Chavez said.

For Nelson, the association has been a great help and has helped her focus her attention on organizing her life and preparing for the inevitable decline. It was while working through these issues that she started writing.

"Through all of the the anguish and the dust-ups and fear and frustration, I began writing and journaling and ended up with a book of poetry," Nelson said. "It's a way for me to tell my day-to-day story and share it with others, so as they walk through it or a loved one walks through it, they can garner some insight."

The title of her book, "Blue, River, Apple," stems from the testing she underwent prior to her diagnosis. She took a memory test that started with the doctor telling her those three words and then asking her to perform tasks such as spelling a word and then spelling it backward. She was then asked a series of questions about her health.

"At the end the test, they asked me to remember those three words," Nelson said. "I couldn't remember them."

From 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m. on Nov. 7, Nelson plans to participate in The Alzheimer's Cafe at Books or Books, 3460 E. Sunset Road, and follow with a book signing at 1 p.m.

"It's a round-table discussion, and the Alzheimer's Association will be there, and there will be pamphlets," she said. "There's a stigma associated with the disease, and we've got to get over that and talk about it. We don't sign in; we don't take names. We just get together and talk and exchange information."

She and some friends have set a goal to be healthy enough in May of 2016 to travel to Umbria, Italy, and walk a section of the Franciscan Trail.

"I'm always looking for that light on the other side," Nelson said. "I'm going to find myself through that, and the way you do that's with a smile on your face. You broaden your shoulders, and you make the best of where you are."

The Las Vegas Walk to End Alzheimer's is scheduled at 9 a.m. Oct. 24 at Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Registration is set to begin at 7 a.m., and a ceremony is scheduled at 8:30. Visit alz.org/dsw or call 702-248-2770.

— To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.