A Pleasant Surprise

I received a call this week from a gentleman from Philadelphia. I remember him from a previous phone call a few years ago. He is a dedicated caregiver for his wife who is living with Alzheimer’s disease and wanted to talk with me about the clinical trial in which she had been enrolled.

I always say that if you want to find a real expert about any particular disease or illness, find a caregiver. In the few short years since we last spoke, he had become as knowledgeable as anyone I had spoken with about clinical trials and new Alzheimer’s medications.

His “education by fire” didn’t surprise me, he even told me of times when he was able to share new information with his wife’s physicians - also not surprising. What he did say that caught me by surprise, was also truly motivating. When I asked if he was caring for himself as he cared for his wife, he said “Why, of course”. “In fact", he continued, "my doctor tells me that he has never seen me in as good a shape as I am in now.” When I told him I found his response to be a pleasant surprise, he stated quite matter-of-factly, “Well, if I don’t take care of myself, how can I be any help to my wife?”

Now that’s music to my ears.

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