B. Smith's & Dan Gasby's Struggle With Alzheimer's

With Michael Shnayerson

'Before I Forget'   is a love story, informative piece and survival guide on one of the most insidious of the brain diseases--Alzheimer's. Usually, book reviews are on my side bar or linked to Goodreads, however, I believe this memoir deserves both side bar and prominent spaces.  

There was also an initial assumption about this post.  The book would have been of greater interest to senior citizens who worry excessively, at times, over periods of forgetfulness or other age related maladies or issues. This disease has a significant impact on many age groups which entail caretakers, immediate and extended family members. Youth who are especially close to their grandparents or elderly relatives are perplexed when they see them slowly drift away with intermittent periods of the here and now to only set sail again in turbulent waters. 

As I read the book, black folks were cited as being stricken with it moreso than other groups.  We tend to be the less tolerant of mental disorders and or bizarre behaviors which become more prominent as the disease progresses.
We as a group are the least informed or suspicious of drug trials or fail to research the disorder than other groups. Economics may play a role and a history of or ongoing  less than adequate treatment by mainstream doctors could be rationales for this perception.  Frankly, I'm rather exhausted and mind weary of our tribe being the "poster child" for designated dysfunctional or passive societal/medical maladies and issues.

B. Smith and her husband Dan Gasby with a few exceptional passages are not condescending in their approach to using their struggles with the disease to think of every avenue of hope, resources, research and familial strategies condensed in this lovely book, "Before I Forget" .    

It is one thing to read about them, however, to actually view and listen to the video short {below} regarding the dynamics of this disease...truly makes it real!