Us 3 cousins will be cycling 650km from Aberystwyth to the East Suffolk coast in 6 days to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Our Grandpa, Colin, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The diagnosis led to the removal of his driving license, meaning he was unable to continue doing something he loved - this was the start of the loss of autonomy he would experience.

The following years would include a battle against the inevitable. Little things were forgotten to start with: where he put keys, or forgetting where the placemats would go. This is the primary symptom that people associate with Alzheimer's, but what was to come would be an eyeopener for everyone close to Grandpa.

Moving on, he would continue to eat whatever was in front of him as he had already forgotten how much he had already consumed. He would forget the process of making a cup of tea, and would be unable to know if the mug in front of him was indeed his or not. To try to cope with this, the family rallied to produce recognisable items. Mugs were made with the R.A.F logo on, so he would know that things were his. A logo was also placed on the side of his house so he'd know where home was.​

Signing up to days of care was the next step. Not only did this mean he could enjoy day trips with others instead of being housebound, but this also provided relief for his wife. The impact the disease had on family was totally unexpected and for others like us, we would advise seeking and accepting assistance so you don't have to deal with the full responsibility of care.

After months, and years of this care, Grandpa was admitted to residential care. Here, he would receive the one-to-one care he required. During this time, he declined rapidly. Aggressive outbursts would occur, along with feelings of helplessness. These signs indicated that he was experiencing depression and reinforced the fact that those suffering from Alzheimer's benefit from specialist care. During this care, many more wonderful memories had been formed; walking round the home, holding his daughter-in-law's hand multiple times led to many a smile in the family.

​Dramatic weight loss occurred, and during the final weeks and days he was unable to eat solid food. Hospital care was all we could have asked for - they were wonderful. Alzheimer's had begun to take a hold of functions we all take for granted. He sadly passed mid afternoon after a strong battle against the disease. His son was by his side as he quietly and peacefully ceased breathing while he was asleep. The battle was over, but he is in a better place now. Surrounding family had been brought together during this tough time. We all miss him greatly.


Our instagram: @caluexchf (https://www.instagram.com/caluexchf/?hl=en-gb)

Our FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/caluexchf


Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. 

Regards,

Alex, Luke & Calum

Alex's Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/26043848

Luke's Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/43157082 

Calum's Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/42944660

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.