Frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia. “Dementia,” a solitary word, is terrifying. Coupled with “frontotemporal,” it is annihilating. I was looking for another newspaper article entirely when I glanced at this one, skimming paragraphs. The sentence “…had started hoarding, filling her house with…” screamed at me. The act of hoarding was a documented symptom of the sufferer’s dementia. The list of behaviors this illness can cause are gut-wrenching. Johns Hopkins Medicine‘s public information page details everything from “trouble using or understanding language” to “socially inappropriate, impulsive, or repetitive behaviors.”

This is a plea for EVERYONE to begin the battle for universal, comprehensive, compassionate, free medical care in this country. For EVERYONE in this country to accept that mental illnesses and intellectual differences are brain-based conditions, no more shameful than being born with a bad heart or crooked teeth. BRUCE WILLIS has been diagnosed with this horrific sickness.

This is a plea to always seek help when you think you need it. This is a plea to always offer help when you can.