"Let's get it started..." What Are you seeing?

If you've arrived here, it's likely because your spouse, parent, or loved one has been diagnosed with EOA, or you're observing unusual signs prompting you to research Alzheimer's in younger individuals.

First and foremost, I am truly sorry. You will hear those words often if this is your path. The next thing people will say is, "My (insert older relative, e.g., Grandparent) had Alzheimer's, so I understand." However, I'm here to tell you to prepare yourself, as younger onset Alzheimer's is different. Cue Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," because EOA, early onset Alzheimer's, is unlike what we typically see in older adults.

Let me share a bit about myself and my family. I'm a GenX working woman and mother. I was 50 when this journey began, and my husband was 57. We have two children, one of whom was in high school when we noticed signs. What were the signs? I know that's why you're here, so I'll explain what we observed that led us to seek help. Later, I'll recount other things we didn't realize were signs until we received a diagnosis. I'm not using our real names but pseudonyms, not because we're famous, but out of respect for my husband and family. We're not seeking fame, but if our experience can help even one person navigate this more easily than I did (and many others whose insights I gathered from a Facebook community), then I'm grateful.

In April 2022, my husband (Rob) began occasionally losing words, not everything, more like blanks or stutters (what we later learned was aphasia). What do I mean by word loss? He would speak, and a completely new, nonexistent word would replace a word he knew well in his sentence. For example, spaghetti became sagani. He's Italian and a lifelong, educated salesperson; words have never been an issue. This occurred more frequently, and he didn't realize it was happening, leaving us puzzled as we tried to understand him. He remained functional, a top salesperson, didn't forget things, didn't get lost, and had no mood changes (yet). It seemed as if he were being playful or silly.

The next sign was severe mood swings and anger. He became very argumentative with everyone, sometimes saying very hurtful things (which was completely out of character). I married a "golden retriever," not a pit bull, so this new behavior of saying hurtful things to our teenage daughter and me was alarming.

Then, Rob began distancing himself from family and friends. He no longer wanted to attend social events, soccer games, concerts, etc.

The final incident that prompted me to take immediate action was a sort of breakdown. He came to me very upset, saying his brain felt scrambled, foggy, he couldn't think clearly, and expressed a desire to die.

"Let's get it started" Black Eyed Peas