JOAN’S BLOG, MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 2008 – THE BUCKET LIST – A GOOD IDEA FOR EARLY STAGE ALZHEIMER PATIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSE?

It is not my intention to critique or recommend movies. But "The Bucket List" has a message Alzheimer patients and their spouses may want to ponder. [A quick summary of the movie to those who have not seen it – Two terminally ill cancer patients, one of whom happens to be the billionaire owner of the hospital in which they are being treated, become friends, and make a “Bucket List” – a list of things they want to do before they……kick the bucket. The billionaire has the money to make anything happen, so off they go to the Pyramids, to the Himalayas, the Taj Mahal, along the way gaining wisdom about life and love.] And yes, I know the critics universally panned the movie – they hated it. All four of us who saw it, as well those in the sold out theater, loved it.

So I was thinking – in the case of Alzheimer’s Disease that we are all battling along with our spouses – why not a “Bucket List”?  Most of us are not billionaires who can climb into our private jet, and fly off to the Taj Mahal, but we all have had dreams of doing or seeing something before we die, or in the cases of our spouses, before they are no longer aware of who they are or what they desire.

For those of us who have spouses who are still functional, still capable of enjoying a sunset, a trip to the beach, playing with a grandchild, a short road trip, even if they forget all of this later, why not make that list? Why not ask them and ourselves if there is something we would like to do before Alzheimer’s Disease takes away our choices completely?

What about hopes and goals? Alzheimer’s Disease takes that away from those who suffer from it, but what if………..just what if your spouse is still functional “enough”, physically healthy enough, and would like to……….complete the Memory Walk; compete in a swimming race; take up drawing or painting just because………..they always wanted to, but never had the chance? Who cares if the paintings are chaotic manifestations of their brain tangles? Setting a goal, however small, and completing it, gives everyone, Alzheimer sufferer or not, a feeling of accomplishment and a big boost in self-esteem. Who cannot benefit from that?

We are always focusing on what our spouses can no longer do – what if we said to those who are still capable of it – Make a list of what you have always wanted to do; pick one thing at a time, and GO FOR IT. And if you are lucky enough to have the funds to see those pyramids, be sure to take plenty of pictures for us.

Message Board Topic: The Bucket List

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