Masters coach and athlete Ross Dunton displays his courage — and sense of humor — in his latest update on his Alzheimer’s disease. In his current newsletter, Ross writes: “I am sharing this with you so that you will have a better understanding of how my Alzheimer’s is progressing, not so that you will feel sorry for me — perhaps they will in Orono and give me a head start. I have not told my son and daughter about having Alzheimer’s because they have their own problems to worry about. They will be told before my memory/actions deteriorate too much.”

Ross continues:

Balance — Last December I purchased a treadmill as part of my planning for when I can’t leave home. At that time I stopped going to the Pigeon Forge Community Center to do my training. In addition to a nine laps to a mile indoor track it has a lot of Paramount weight training equipment.
I have been doing a lot of running but no weight/strength training since December. This may have affected my balance strength. Last week I bought a 15 and a 20# dumbbell at Wal-Mart. In December I was using 25# dumbbells, so obviously I have lost strength and muscle mass. I am now doing single leg partial squats and lunges with a dumbbell in each hand. I had been doing these at the Community Center.
The treadmill — It is a NordicTrack C 2400 which has a top speed of 12MPH (19.3KPH). I can’t run that fast, but the only way to get faster is to run faster, which is what I have been doing. My max short time speed is the fastest that it has been in a long time. I am running faster. Without running on any thing but the treadmill I ran an 800 at the East Tennessee Sr. Olympics two weeks ago. It was a very windy race, but my time was the same that I ran in the State Championships last July.
Do you believe? — You will not get where you want to go if you do not believe that you can get there. I believe that the third time may really be a “charm” — from Merriam-Webster: charm — a practice or expression believed to have magic power….that is why I am going to the Masters Nationals in Orono in August. I hope to see some of you there. My first trip to Orono was for the Nationals in ’98 as a spectator.
One of the mental problems that I am having is trying to determine/guestimate my life expectancy. Not how much longer am I going to live, but when will the dementia be so acute that I that I wouldn’t want to live like that. Thinking about this is about like omphaloskepsis—“gazing at one’s navel as an aid to contemplation”. I have searched the internet trying to find some definitive information an Alzheimer’s and life expectancy.
A lot of general information but nothing specific. As you, your spouse, your parents, your friends or……start having problems with their memory be very observant and ask some questions about what they may be forgetting. Also watch for any other changes that they are having.
In ’98 I was in the process of developing another problem in my body. I was training harder and getting slower — much slower than what is the normal result of aging. Additionally, I felt “the burn” in my legs 24 X 7. It was about three years later that the problem was properly diagnosed. My body no longer produces B12 — I have to take it by injecting it into my body. Fortunately, I can use a very small needle and it does not hurt. B12 or lack of it affects fatigue. It also provides the insulation abound the nerves in the body.
About 95% of the insulation on the nerves in my legs is gone which is why my legs hurt/ache 24X7.Normal blood tests do not test for B12. It is currently that when they reach the age of 50, everyone should have their level of B12 tested. I wish that I had done that.
Then there is Celiac Disease. My stomach gets a bit upset when I eat anything that has been made from wheat, so I am on a gluten-free diet. I didn’t have to worry after hearing about all of the problems the cats and dogs were having after eating food with the poisonous gluten.
Yes, I have some problems that I do not like, but that’s life. . . .
Let me know if you have any questions.