Do you remember those great “Star Trek” scenes showing “Spok,” the Vulcan, reading the mind of his victim? He strategically placed his fingers on the victim’s skull and performed a “Vulcan Mind-Meld.” The result was that Spok instantly knew all of the other person’s thoughts and memories, for a lifetime. I sometimes think of this in relationship to Alzheimer’s. This disease robs its victims of their thoughts and memories.

Alzheimer’s is as intriguing as it is horrific. No one really knows what the Alzheimer’s victim is thinking. This often troubles family members. Is the Alzheimer’s patient aware of his/her cognitive impairement? Does he/she know what is happening, but is unable to express it? This is where “Spok” could really come in handy! We could learn so much if we could read the mind of the Alzheimer’s patient.

I have something really rare to share with you, which gives insight into the mind of an Alzheimer’s patient. I have letters written by a “Dad” to his estranged family. The gentleman suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. He was in the early stages at the time that he wrote the letters.

There are 16 separate versions of the same letter. It appears that the “Dad” rewrote them over and over again, perhaps in an effort to “get it right.” The home health aide observing him at the time states that he spent hours and days at his desk, penning these letters. The irony is that none of the letters were ever mailed to his family. He chose not to mail them, but we do not know why.

“My dear family. I wrote a short note to you all because I have not really progressed. This will be a short note so I can tell you that things are really not very good for me. I’m trapped in Florida, cannot get out and am trying to get better.”

“This has been a disastrous year for me so I hope you are all well.”

“My problems are very large, but that is what I need now. I would love to talk to you – all of you. I have lost many things and am not doing well now. How is the family? I crave for attention. Please, please tell me where you are and how I can talk to you for a little while. This is just a note. This is just a note.

Please somebody call me.”

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