Jamie Arking: A FTD Caregiver Story

FTD Caregiver, Jamie Arking, shares the story of his father's experience with Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD).

[Oversowhat]

What a wonderful speaker! May God Bless you and your beautiful family as you face this experience with courage and Grace!!

[Chahlie]

The worst thing about any kind of brain 'injury' is the lack of saying goodbye, lack of formal grieving. The person you knew is gone and there is no defined grieving process.

[TheRedStateBlue]

My dad flew fighters and served as a JAG attorney in the Air Force, then went into private practice after retiring and taught school for 20 years. a brilliant man. he was diagnosed with svPPA 2 days ago. we've noticed his inability to form complete sentences for a while, now. we just thought he'd become a befuddled old man. when the neurologist said dementia, i almost lost it. i am terrified.

[artgirl]

I believe that my husband now has this. His entire personality changed so completely that I do not recognize him any longer. He does things that are not right and then denies it. He has been very argumentative and violent. This is a horrible disease to have to deal with - between the Aphasia, motor issues, and behavioral issues etc. it's a total nightmare. I don't know if there is a history in my husband's family.

[girlanonymous]

I just Googled “Jamie Arking’s father” and he passed away Sept 2018. How sad. This disease is terrible.

[Christian_Girl]

I work in a health care facility in housekeeping, but I interact with these types of residents daily. It's devastating. I feel for anyone who has to deal with this and caregiving is a huge job with a resident with Dementia of any kind. Thank you Jamie for sharing your story with us. Hopefully it will give others a sense of peace. Dementia like this is devastating because the one who has it doesn't have any recollection when it comes to short term memory. So they don't remember what they did, how they did it or even the fact that they actually did it. It's a very sad, disease.

[queenbee]

I feel so bad for this man. I have many medical challenges but noticed I was having a problem verbalizing my thoughts. Words are my thing! Im a reader, voracious even. My dad said my tongue was my strongest muscle. I now have aphasia. Its progressing but slowly. My daughter and I are now experts at charades. You have a family that loves you. Embrace them while you can. 💖

[donahuefuneral]

Wow. Thank you so very much for sharing your story. Obviously you want to help others and you do much have. God bless you tremendously.

[philipmclaughlin]

This is a horrible unknown disease. It needs alot more awareness. My Brother passed away of this at 29 years old. It's devastating

[yourolney]

What Jamie did in deciding to be tested is brave and Heroic! Because of him they now have someone that is young and a symptomatic. Now they have some sort of a base line to begin a study which will assist pharmaceutical companies create a drug to slow down progression. Thank you Jamie for taking this risk because you now live with a sleeping monster never knowing when or if it will ever wake up. I pray you never develop this horrible disease. That was a very tough decision sacrificing your peace of mind.

[Peepers]

Thankyou for sharing your families experience, and knowledge with this disease.

[cynthiaarons]

Your father looked like a very loving man. I’m sorry he ended with FTD. I hope he does not get worse. He’s lucky he has a close-knit and loving family.

[stacisrainbownursery]

Thank you for this video and for sharing such vital information for us families starting the Dementia journey.

[Sushi]

I am so sorry for your family to lose such loving kind man. I had a cranky sour father. It makes your loss so much more difficult.

[donsweet]

Yes, no person would speak disparagingly about his father.

[laurah.]

i believe with all of my heart my mother has this terrifying and humiliating disease. She literally lost her mind, and I didn't know what the fuck was going on and i refused to allow her around my kids anymore. So she tried kidnapping my eldest daughter and sued me in court. I can't believe this happened to me and my kids. My Mother doesn't see anything unusual about her behavior. It's wild.

[andrewhazenberg]

I terrifies me to think this, but if I ever got diagnosed with some incurable type of dementia, I would not want to be around anymore . 💔😢

[debs-n-tx]

Hey Jamie: You mentioned you had a test to see if you had the Gene for FTD, what gene blood testing is that? What is the exact name for the test? I am confused as to how they really get precise DX for FTD? SInce it sometimes does not show up on MRI etc. and so many Dr's are not understanding FTD. I want to know if there is a blood test that can DX it? Thanks and blessings.

[SisterSunshineTV]

Picks disease killed my father in law and his mother. I suspect my husband is developing it due to personality changes. He refuses to get the genetic testing done.

[ivansmith]

I believe my mother has FTD, and because I know my mother very well I know she does not want to! I know my risk is high I also do not want to know if I have the chance I guess I will follow in mother footsteps however I have no wife or children I stand to be alone with this thank you for sharing what you do know! RIP to his dad if it happen 7 years is a long time!