Did he say Zetty doesn't have ALZ
I’m J Smiles, a comedian, Alzheimer’s and Dementia activist, and family caregiver. You may know me from Parenting Up!™ - where we’re a family of caregivers taking care of our family members together. Welcome to Snuggle Up™ Saturday.
Listen, I was chilling, minding my business. I was hanging out with a group of acquaintances that I met while traveling internationally solo. We were briefly getting to know one another, as strangers who just happened to meet in a bar do. When it was my turn, I decided that it would be best to be as light as possible with my response, "I'm a caregiver. My mom has Alzheimer's." Everyone clutches their pearls, and says, "Oh, my God, auh, that's so hard." Okay, the night ends. By the third day, everyone finally asks to see videos and photos, which I call photeos, of my mother after countless Zetty conversations. When I showed a video, a gentleman from behind invaded our conversation out of nowhere. He literally has not been involved in any parts of the conversations up to this point. He says, "Huh, I'm not sure what your mom has. But it is not Alzheimer's." Now, family, yawl know this took me by surprise. Because, huh? She doesn't? I'm like, Sir, are you Jesus? Mohammed? Do you know something I don't know? I was as stimulated as if I was having sex with Denzel Washington, and on speed, and won the $15 billion lottery all at one time. And I mean, old school Denzel. Like, when he grabbed the side of that thing in Glory and that one tear came down. I had that kind of joy.
Look, I'm an optimist. I have been for the most part for as long as I can remember. Hope springs eternal over here so much so, I don't think I need water. You hear me? I am hydrated with optimism. My folks came from that middle passage, they made it out of Africa, through the enslaved times, Jim Crow. Who knows whatever else. Didn't get aborted. Okay? Condom pops. I'm a condom pop baby. Raise your hand if your parents have told you, "Baby, we tried really hard for you not to be here and you... and you broke through the latex. So you came in this mug a fighter." Okay, I digress. So, anyways, I took a deep breath and replied, "Oh, my goodness, she doesn't?" He shook his head and spoke, "Um um, no way that's Alzheimer's."
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