The Brain
The human brain as defined by Wikipedia is: the central organ of the human nervous system. ...It controls most of the activities of the body, processing, integrating, and coordinating the information it receives from the sense organs, and making decisions as to the instructions sent to the rest of the body.
So you know, not complicated at all.
My brain is a little all over the place this week. First there was Anthony Bourdain's suicide. While my mom and I were discussing the news, she made a comment to the effect of, "but he was in the middle of filming." My response was simply, "When the disease gets you, it gets you."
Depression is a weird thing. There are many different types. Like diabetes, it can be treated different ways depending on which kind you have. Like gestational diabetes you can have a short term bout of the disease, sometimes associated with situational depression. Or it can be something you live with your entire life. I was diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety disorder about 20 years ago. It is something that simply is. There are good days and bad. In my twenties they were mostly bad, I lost friendships and opportunities because there were days I just couldn't leave the house or get out of bed. But now, they are mostly good. I am keenly aware, however, that at any point the monster that is my invisible disease could take control.
Why is it you "have diabetes" but you "suffer from depression?" Is that weird? That feels weird. I would agree that it can be suffering. I like when people say "battling depression." It's similar to saying "battling cancer." It's a fight, one you are trying to win. It infers hope.
Riding on the tail of the news about Anthony Bourdain, through a series of unfortunate events in which no one was hurt (but could have been), my Uncle was diagnosed with dementia, his car was impounded and his license taken away.
I found this site for the Dementia Society of America and I don't know why but the definition made me laugh.
“A broad factual definition of Dementia from the U.S. Government:
”Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a descriptive term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships.
They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they may experience personality changes and behavioral problems, such as agitation, delusions, and hallucinations. While memory loss is a common symptom of dementia, memory loss by itself does not mean that a person has dementia. Doctors diagnose dementia only if two or more brain functions - such as memory and language skills — are significantly impaired without loss of consciousness. ”
Dementia is not a specific disease...
Oh, great. That narrows it down. And like Depression, it seems to have an endless array of causes.
I realize now that it made me laugh because the only other option was to cry.
What we learned this week is that the damage is irreversible. It can be slowed down, but what is, is. My uncle never had children, and is no longer married. So it seems I am on this journey with him, not alone mind you, but on the navigation team none the less.
From what I've read so far you can both "have dementia" and "suffer from dementia." But there doesn't seem to be a "battle Dementia" option. I'll have to let you know if that is true or not. I have a feeling it is a battle, just not the kind of hope inspiring battle I'm thinking of.
In the meantime, I will be processing, integrating, and coordinating the information I receive and making decisions as to the instructions sent...
Oh I get it now. The brain is the stage manager of the body.
I did say my brain is a little all over this week.
