Shortly after their trip to California, Kunkle was diagnosed for the first time with Lewy body dementia — for most, an unfamiliar moniker for a disease caused when protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the parts of the brain tasked with thought, memory and movement. Researchers believe one in five Alzheimer’s patients suffers from it — more than 1.5 million in the U.S. alone — though seldom is its name ever mentioned.
If you know the disease at all, perhaps that is because Robin Williams suffered from Lewy body dementia. In the fall of 2016, his wife, Susan, documented in the pages of the journal Neurology how the disease slowly consumed the actor, how random and devastating the symptoms were, how no diagnosis ever seemed to be the right one. Susan Williams wrote that, ultimately, her husband was consumed by “the terrorist within his brain.”
An excellent article about Alzheimers and dementia. These are diseases that may affect many of the Free Republic family, and I felt that this article was a very good description of the effects.
“To celebrate, the couple flew to Santa Barbara, Calif....”
That’s a red flag...they are both nuts.
My mother had it. Don’t wish it on anyone.
Watch the series, Boss, starring Kelsey Grammer.
He plays the mayor of Chicago. You learn at the very beginning scene he is diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. From there his symptoms manifest as he tries to keep running his city.
It is only 2 seasons. It is very well done. Kelsey thought at the time one reason for the cancellation of such a good show was his conservative politics in real life.
Just another note, I knew a man at my gym when I lived in Omaha who everyone called marathon man. He started exhibiting odd behavior people didn’t understand and was quite unlike him. He finally disappeared from the gym, something you notice after daily workouts for years. We learned later he’d died a very sad death of Lewy Body. I only recognized that name because I’d seen the TV series, Boss.
So sorry to hear anyone affected by this disease. I didn’t know about LBD until I saw the movie “Robins Wish” which is all about Robin Williams and accounts by his (now) widow. Its pretty intense if you havent seen it.