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Alzheimer’s disease. The general consensus runs as follows: It has no known cause, no cure and it will kill its victim in a slow, horrific way.
I’m here to offer hope that this is not the case. I’ll share my family’s journey with this terrible disease and provide the experience and tools we’ve gathered along the way to maybe, just maybe, do our part, however small, in eradicating this disease forever.
I’ve lost numerous aunts and uncles and my beloved mama to this monster of a disease. The sheer numbers sent up the red flag that my family must have the dreaded gene. Five of my siblings and I so far have undergone genetic testing through 23&Me. The results showed that not all of us, but at least some of us — including me — do have the most common Alzheimer’s gene — ApoE4. Hello, My name is Amy Kronenberger and I am ApoE4 positive.
So, do my siblings and I believe the mainstream view and resign ourselves to our fate, hands tied? Or do we dare to join the growing minority who say this fire-breathing dragon can be defeated and arm ourselves for battle? I say we will not go quietly into the abyss. We will fight every step of the way.
Won’t you join us on our journey while we’re waiting for Alzheimer’s?
Me
I am the youngest of 10 surviving siblings. My parents’ 11th child, my baby sister, died at 3 months old. My siblings and I grew up in a traditional home in a small Midwestern town. (What it’s like growing up with nine older brothers and sisters is a whole other story!)
My first career path was in massage therapy, but after four years I decided to follow my true passion — writing — and went back to school for journalism. I received my bachelor’s degree in print journalism in 2008 and not long after earned a position at a newspaper near my hometown. I earned my stripes as a reporter, working crazy hours and very long days before transitioning to a more editorial position in 2014. Then in 2016, I had the opportunity to become copy editor and have since settled into that position.
I missed writing, however, and also wanted something with a bit more freedom and the ability to work from home. So I decided to pursue a career in freelance writing. Looking for a freelance writer in a health and wellness niche? Check out my Contact/Hire Me page!