EENY, MEENY, MINEY, MO ...

  There is another topic of interest related to the topic of Trump's damaged intelligence. That is the sad fact that neurodegenerative diseases be it ALS or Alzheimer's, Lewy Body, or Parkinson's, or any other syndrome within those parameters are increasing, becoming among the most common and growing diseases. That is what we and in fact, the world is facing, even as we refuse to admit this, refuse to recognize its immediacy, and we are left with a growing crisis of many fronts. Foolishly, we hide its prevalence and growth within senior citizens, let alone in early onset cases. We hide it and fail to address it. We are ashamed and whisper about our family and friends who suffer from these neurodegenerative syndromes. That exacerbates the situation for the individuals for it means delay in treatment so critically needed.

People use the excuse of the permanence of these    neurodegenerative diseases; claim it would be a case of throwing good money after bad. Treatment will neither cure nor stop it so why not spend the funds on curable diseases where there is not an inevitable death resultant from them. But that is not truly so, for there is help. Though the inevitable progression through stages cannot be halted in its tracks, it can be slowed down. It can be ameliorated and not merely in small degree. 

It may be held at bay for years, allowing for further research, for treatment, for prevention, for living with it in productive manner. To extend life itself and give hope to those who suffer from them and for their families and friends and allow for more productive years. Most important, when that extension of time is combined with deep and serious research, miracles can happen. Strong symptoms can be suppressed. New treatments can be applied to the individuals. This is what is happening now. Even extending to efforts to prevent these diseases in the first place. That would be the best news of all.   

Sadly, we are not there yet. Research grants and funding must remain in place, even extended. But   why then are we not doing so? Imagine a world where these scourges are gone. Understand the benefits of an acknowledgement of these afflictions and the importance, the necessity, to treat them. To treat them hard, aggressively and immediately upon diagnosis. Understand the benefits of an acknowledgement and the crucial need to diagnose those afflicted and to remember to continue to include them in the lives and plans of families and friends. Doing so is of great benefit to one and all. 

Do not encourage nor allow them to hide, to entomb themselves. Afraid and ashamed to venture out. It is in fact upon friends and families to make their own adjustments so as to include them in the life continuing. In a life of value with much joy awaiting them. Do not take upon yourself the old. outmoded attitude of shame and concealment. This is not a punishment for some vague sins. This is merely a biological inconvenience. Were we to treat it as such, attack it as it should be, we would be in a better place already.  

 Rather than expending effort in the wrong direction, take positive steps. Sympathy, yes, but pity - no! Instead, take these efforts and energies expended and do what we can to alleviate inevitable complications within life. We can drive people to therapy - occupational, physical, speech and cognitive when necessary. We can take them to movies. To libraries. Engage them in intelligent discourse. Make time allowances for slower feet and hands caused by stiffening muscles. Have patience. Help when asked and do not force it upon them. It is hard enough for them to know and admit they do indeed need help with everyday activities once automatic. Be gentle in your assistance so that it does not come across as an imposition forced upon you both.    

In all of these areas there is help. In all of these areas there is deep research going on. New medications, improved medications. And yet it is not enough. We could be doing so much more. We need to recognize its onset and not shout it as a curse or denigration of humanity, as the lesser for having one syndrome or another.  

On the other hand, we must recognize what is there, what is fact and what is needed? To ensure. the best life possible. To ensure proper cognitive ability to carry out jobs and tasks undertaken or assigned. And to be able physically to endure whatever strain it places on one's body. For the safety of all, know when it is time to step down. We must be able to distinguish case, causes, levels, consequences and actions called for one from the other, call it out as necessary and allow for functioning within the society without shame but also without danger for others.

And so. To real life. Unfortunately, one of the most blatant places where we allow for visible degeneration, particularly of cognitive ability and lack of physical endurance, of weaker body, mind and soul is within the government.  We have legislators with no age ceiling, known to be incompetent, unable to function on the level necessary and yet they get reelected year after year after year. Until they finally drop in the traces. But by then it is too late, the harm already done. The same case with the judges not up to the challenge of the complex issues brought before them. 

While it can be found in other areas, it is more prevalent within the government. More difficult to shift positions around where and when necessary.  Or so present in bizarre statement and actions, in rents and raves, word salad speeches, the bizarre rage always there, that it is clearly discernible, even as we refuse to admit it due to misplaced reasoning or worse, due to nefarious plans of one's own. The drain of cognitive ability from the mind is reflected with and by the deterioration of the physical aspect, particularly if one has never lived a healthy life.  

Unfortunately, one such blatant and egregious situation is to be found at the head of our nation's government, the challenged in every way possible man who would be Ruler, Trump. Even while his dementia has long been noticed, even called out, there are those who refuse to acknowledge that fact, perhaps doing so for their own nefarious reasons. They place our nation and the world in immediate jeopardy. More and more are recognizing his dementia and the danger he represents for this nation, but there are those who continue their foolish and dangerous path and they are taking us all along with them on this so very wrong road.   Truly, he is well beyond his sell by date. Observe him closely and then you too, shall see the truth.  A man trying to find his way through the fog around him. And yet we continue to allow this man to make existential decisions for us. Why is it so? 

It's because we, the people of this nation, refuse to see through our own fog to the truth waiting there for us. We have not lived up to our responsibilities, perhaps even suffering from a similar, national degenerative disease. We too seem to be suffering from some national mass degenerative syndrome, this one with shuttered eyes. Affecting us at ever faster rate. Is there some medication out there that can wake us up. Let us see what is going on, to smell the rot, to see past the lies to the truth. To the ambition of this man to be the Ruler - not the president.   

Cancel yesterday.

Wipe out today. 

Create a future bleak and hopeless. 

Or not. 

Up to you and me and all of us. 

Eeny, Meeny, Miney Mo - 

Where exactly do we go?