MSI Press Blog

  In the early stages, many people sense that something is changing—even if they can’t yet name it as Alzheimer’s. According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Institute on Aging, individuals often notice subtle shifts before anyone else does: a word that won’t come, a thought that takes longer to form, or a task that suddenly feels more effortful than it should. At first, this awareness—known as insight —is still intact. People may quietly recognize that something isn’t quite right. Over time, though, this ability fades as the disease progresses and the brain loses its capacity to monitor its own functioning. What this looks like in everyday life: Early stage: awareness is still present People might say things like, “I’m forgetting more than I used to,” or “My mind feels foggy.” Often, they begin to compensate in subtle ways—making more lists, simplifying routines, or stepping back from situations where their difficulties might show. Middle stage: awareness begins to slip As me...

  Noelle learned to self‑catheterize when she was nine. It did not happen easily — not even close — but it had to happen. She was in a private school with no nurse on staff, which meant that every four hours Lizzie had to leave her own class, meet her sister in the bathroom, and catheterize her. (The things Lizzie learned young in order to help Noelle and Doah!) At the time, we were staying with a friend whose son was a year older than Noelle. He also had spina bifida, and sometime over the previous year he had learned to self‑cath. That changed the landscape. Clearly, it was possible. But “possible” is not the same as “achievable on command.” Nurses tried to teach her. Nope. Doctors explained it. Nope. Lizzie walked her through it while she was doing it. Still nope. Noelle simply could not figure out the path of the catheter through the urethra to the bladder. She poked and poked for a while, then gave up. If I encouraged her to try again, she balked — and often cried. Eventually ...

  No one really prepares you for this. You love someone. You build a life. And then, somewhere along the way—sometimes suddenly, sometimes gradually—you realize that trauma has come into the room and taken a seat between you. It doesn’t introduce itself. It doesn’t explain its rules. But it changes everything. You Are Not Imagining It If you feel like the relationship has shifted in ways you can’t quite name, you’re not wrong. PTSD can alter: How a person responds to stress How they experience closeness How safe they feel—even in safe spaces You may find yourself thinking: Why are they reacting this way? Why can’t we just go back to how things were? That “before” may not be reachable in the same form. But something else—different, intentional, and still meaningful—can be built. Understanding Helps, But It Doesn’t Make It Easy Learning about PTSD can bring clarity. You begin to see patterns: Withdrawal is often protection, not rejection Anger may be overwhelm, not...