Don’t let it get you. Get it.

Your typical overweight 50-something guy who admits to enjoying his food and beverages – and classifies himself as a “non-swimmer” – isn’t likely to turn into a triathlete. But, after a nudge from his oldest son over a decade ago, Great Falls’ Stephen L’Heureux is now that guy. 

“I’m all in or not at all,” he proudly proclaims.

Realizing that about L’Heureux makes it a bit more understandable that he views his diagnosis with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as “energizing” and yet another challenge.

“It’s okay,” L’Heureux said recently. “In a perverted way, I think this (MCI diagnosis) is the best thing that’s happened to me.”

Nearly two years ago, the retired architect received a loving nudge from his wife regarding his inconsistent memory. That led him to a visit with a neurologist and a subsequent diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment.

Armed with a positive outlook, a problem-solving approach that he honed in his architecture career, and a wife who is “everything” to him, L’Heureux is taking the same approach to his MCI diagnosis that he took to building his triathlete skills. Spoiler alert: after several years of training, including taking “put your face in the water” introductory swimming classes with children, L’Heureux is now fairly routinely completing Olympic distance and Ironman triathlons.

It starts with willingness

The key word that emerges from talking with L’Heureux is “willingness.” That was the theme of a speech he gave recently at an Alzheimer's Association fundraising event. His willingness to accept that, while not guaranteed, his MCI diagnosis could lead to full-blown Alzheimer's, the same disease that claimed his beloved mother 29 years ago, at almost the identical age as his MCI diagnosis.

L’Heureux admitted that receiving the MCI diagnosis initially left him not knowing what to do. The doctor who diagnosed him gave him a prescription for the drug Memantine and told him to check back in six months. But for L’Heureux, having witnessed his mother’s experience with dementia, he thought “What the hell is that, and what do I do? I know the end result (for Alzheimer’s). I saw how this goes.”

Dealt a strong hand

It’s clear that as L’Heureux faces his future, he’s been dealt three aces that equip him to battle his MCI diagnosis to the wire. First is his own stubbornness. His thought process regarding an MCI diagnosis that may progress to Alzheimer’s disease (researchers estimate that one in three MCI cases advance to full Alzheimer’s within five years) is “don’t let it get you – get it.” That provided added incentive for the budding triathlete, knowing that exercise is a key component for preserving cognitive health.

The second trait driving L’Heureux is his logical mindset. “As an architect, my approach has always been in order to solve a problem, you have to fully understand it. Then you can design a solution to strategically solve it. You have to own it.”

Bringing his marriage to a new level

The third ace is L’Heureux’s marriage. He describes his wife, Carol, an award-winning newspaper reporter turned author, as “so freakin’ smart it’s scary with a hair-trigger bullshit meter. Nothing gets by her.” And he knows that she would not have raised concerns about his memory to diminish him.
“She wouldn’t have said something if it wasn’t important,” he said. “She didn’t raise the issue out of frustration – just pure love.” 

And, over the 18 months of his diagnosis, L’Heureux sees his wife’s approach of “empathy, not sympathy” as adding to their already strong marriage. “We have developed a new level to our relationship through this. It’s pretty amazing. I feel energized.” 

The magic word is “willingness”

“Willingness is the key to my future,” he said. “It started with my wife being willing to talk about her loving concern for me, and me being willing to listen and go get checked out. Then being willing to be open about the diagnosis and discuss it. That willingness has opened many doors. That has put me into a really good place. I feel good about it.”

L’Heureux’s willingness to accept his diagnosis – although not accepting it passively – has driven him to volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association and serve in an informal manner as an advisor or welcoming listener for others who have questions or concerns about their own diagnosis.

Public perception

One of the biggest challenges that L’Heureux sees for those living with a diagnosis similar to his is the public perception.

“We’re dealing with the stigma that we’re losing our minds,” he said.

It has reinforced his commitment to his own physical and cognitive health, as well as sharing his knowledge and experience with others living in the shadow of MCI or Alzheimer’s.

As part of that volunteering, he has set up an informal peer network to engage others who are dealing with the same diagnosis and help them talk about it with someone who can relate.

“I feel compelled to help people understand what they’re going through,” he said. “I told one woman, ‘This helps me as much as it helps you.’”

Knowledge is power

Much has changed in the understanding of Alzheimer’s since L’Heureux’s mother passed from the disease 29 years ago. At that time, his father, a highly educated man with a doctorate in education, was “lovingly blind” to the disease and felt completely lost. His desire to care for his wife while he was living with serious heart disease created challenges that ultimately necessitated a family intervention.

Today, L’Heureux is fully engaged in the cause of cognitive health on multiple levels. Beyond leading his own peer support group and actively promoting healthy brain exercises, he is serving on the Benefis Health System Foundation Board in Great Falls as they are raising funds for a healthy aging center. And he’s working with the Alzheimer's Association of Montana to find opportunities to advocate for the cause of brain health.

“You have to own it,” he said of his MCI diagnosis. “Are you just going to sit back and let it happen or are you going to do something? I want to lead by example.”

To learn more about the information, programs and services provided at no charge by the Alzheimer’s Association of Montana, go to alz.org or call the Association’s free Helpline, staffed 24/7 by trained professionals, at 800-272-3900.