MimiS (Active Peer Volunteer since April 2010)
"My name is Mimi, and patterning my age after Ttom, I'm probably the senior member of the group at 81 3/4. Two of my father's sibling had Alzheimer's disease (AD), so when I noticed my memory failing, in 2003, I had my primary doctor administer the mini-mental test. She said I passed. (I knew I had struggled.) Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. I thought, silly me and here I was worried about AD. I was being seen by a neurologist and it wasn't too long before I again brought up concerns about my memory. Because I appear so alert, she noted it in her reports, but otherwise ignored me. Until one day, I used the wrong word three times in a row. And she began the mini-mental test. I failed the immediate recall part of the mini-mental test and was sent to a neuropsychiatric.
It wasn't too long after diagnosis when I got a phone call asking for donations to the Alzheimer's Association. I said I had no further money but because of my recent diagnosis, would love to become active in the organization. I'm thinking of stuffing envelopes. Eventually I received a call from someone at the state level. Next I received a call from the head of the local chapter. A little chit chat and then would I speak at their upcoming fundraiser. After that I was nominated and chosen for the Early Stage Advisory Board and have been on a roll ever since.
Previous life- I grew up in New York City, attending a local college; and then grad school in Kansas. I taught Child Development at the college level until marriage. After that six kids gave me lots of time to put into practice what I'd taught. Subbing with a baby did not work out, so I stayed home raising kids and volunteering in educational and social service capacities. Eventually volunteered in my kids school and went back to school for a reading and gifted certificate, and then taught at the elementary level until retirement in 1988.
Since then I've been active in church, library, social service and Historical Society. I do research in the history of the rural schools in my county and write about it.
I don't remember when I became active on in the Alzheimer's Association Online Community. Like most, I read a while before putting my two cents in. Those of you who have read my posts know that my mission in life is to get people who worry about their memory to get tested and work proactively to slow that monster. I've so far, been successful. A neurologist two years after the first showed my lowest scores ten percent higher than the first test. I still feel ahead of where I began.
Daily on my wrist is the AD bracelet: A REASON TO HOPE. Yes, the diagnosis is a death sentence, but caught early and treated aggressively, the end is a distance away. I cannot believe I'm still as alert as I am this long after diagnosis.
As a peer volunteer, I hope to meet people where they are, let them know that this is a good place to sound off, give advice and also refer them to other sources as seems appropriate."
<< Return to Peer Volunteers page
