When I first read the syllabus for CD 315 on the first day of class, I really had no idea what I was going to be doing for the next ten weeks. The letters MRP didn’t mean anything to me, even after I read that they stood for Multi Genre Research Project. I wouldn’t know right away what all was involved or how much work I would be doing in, but in due time I would see. The first couple weeks’ assignments were “house keeping” in nature…making sure we all had an email address, subscribing to the class list, and learning how to use the MOO were a few of primary assignments. After the first few weeks, we started to do work geared toward our project. The first part of this work was choosing a research topic and coming up with an essential question that we wanted to find AN answer to, not THE answer to. It made me feel a little better knowing that this wasn’t going to be black or white, right or wrong. I had a few topics in mind such as stuttering, auditory processing, and Alzheimer’s disease, which turned out to be my topic. I’ve worked with Alzheimer’s patients before and they really held a special place in my heart because some of them just didn’t have a clue, and I don’t mean any disrespect by that. Many of them didn’t know what day it was, who they were, who anyone else was, where they were, what year it was, or anything about their own lives. It's so sad because they are alive, but they're not reallly "living". Life is often just one big confusing mess to them. Of course this isn't how things are from the beginning and I don't mean to paint a bleak picture, but the reality is that there is no cure for Alzheimer's and as it progresses, it robs the person of more and more of their life, and themself.

I know this is a pitiful excuse for a reflection, but it's only the beginning. I should have a topic on here called "Unfinished Business" for all the pseudo pieces I put up!

Alzheimer's Association Website. (2002).
http://www.alz.org/
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Alzheimer's Disease Education & Referral Center Website. (2002).
http://www.alzheimers.org/
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Anderson, D.M. (Ed.). (2002). Mosby's Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary. (6th ed.). Toronto: Mosby.
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De Santi, S. (1997). Differentiating The Dementias. In C.T. Ferrand & R.L. Bloom (Eds.), Introduction to Organic and Neurogenic Disorders of Communication (pp. 84-90). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
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Kavanaugh,K. (1995). Focus on communication abilities when visiting elders with Alzheimer's disease. Brown University Long-Term Care Letter,7, 6-8. (From Academic Search Elite: EBSCO Publishing). Retrieved July 15, 2002 from the World Wide Web. http://search.epnet.com
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Kent, D. (1992). Creating a home that speaks their language. Aging, 363. (From Academic Search Elite: EBSCO Publishing). Retrieved August 14, 2002 from the World Wide Web. http://search.epnet.com
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Maguire,C.P. & Kirby,M. (1996). Family members' attitudes toward telling the patient with Alzheimer's disease their diagnosis. Student BMJ, 4, 381-82. (From Academic Search Elite: EBSCO Publishing). Retrieved August 12, 2002 from the World Wide Web. http://search.epnet.com
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Usita, P.M. & Hyman Jr., I.E. (1998). Narrative intentions: Listening to life stories in Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Aging Studies, 12, 185-98. (From Academic Search Elite: EBSCO Publishing). Retrieved July 15, 2002 from the World Wide Web. http://search.epnet.com
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