Choice+for+Alzheimer's+Disease+by+Andrew+M+and+Andy+S

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One of the most interesting and notable things about Alzheimer's Disease is that Ronald Reagan, who was the 40th President of the United States, was afflicted with this disease. After all, he was the President, and Alzheimer's supposedly makes your memory suffer.

Ronald Reagan was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1994, and he addressed this state of affliction to the American people on November 5, 1994. //"My Fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease. Upon learning this news, Nancy & I had to decide whether as private citizens we would keep this a private matter or whether we would make this news known in a public way. In the past Nancy suffered from breast cancer and I had my cancer surgeries. We found through our open disclosures we were able to raise public awareness. We were happy that as a result many more people underwent testing. They were treated in early stages and able to return to normal, healthy lives. So now, we feel it is important to share it with you. In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition. Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it. At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done. I will continue to share life's journey with my beloved Nancy and my family. I plan to enjoy the great outdoors and stay in touch with my friends and supporters. Unfortunately, as Alzheimer's Disease progresses, the family often bears a heavy burden. I only wish there was some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience. When the time comes I am confident that with your help she will face it with faith and courage. In closing let me thank you, the American people for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be I will face it with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you. Sincerely, Ronald Reagan"//

Because Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's Disease, this obviously raised suspicions as to whether or not he had the disease while he served as President. According to the physicians who checked him daily while he served in the White House, he displayed no signs of Alzheimer's whatsoever during his term. Occasionally, however, they said, he would suffer memory lapses, especially with names. There was one time when he was meeting with the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, when he repeatedly referred to Vice President Bush as Prime Minister Bush. There are really no other incidents to suggest that Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's during his terms.

Although this closes the suspicions in this area, no one still really knows when Reagan's AD started to develop. There was one incident in July, 1989, when Reagan suffered a head trauma, five years before his diagnosis, when he fell off a horse in Mexico, and something called a "subdural hematoma" was found in his brain and surgically removed. Although this incident has not been proved to be directly related to Reagan's AD problem, Reagan's one-time physician, Dr. Daniel Ruge, said that it was possible the horse incident could have affected his memory.

As the years went by, Alzheimer's Disease slowly destroyed Reagan's brain, as it normally does; he was able to recognize few people, except of course, his wife. He still remained active, however, and frequently went for walks in the park. His disease progressed and eventually he died at his home in Bel Air, California on June 5, 2004.


 * Quiz Question:** What might have caused Ronald Reagan's Alzheimer's Disease, did it affect his term as president, and when was he officially diagnosed with the disease?