Christa Laser

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. 
To give some background, my mom, Christa, was diagnosed with Semantic Dementia in 2008, but evidence of dementia was clear to us, her family, since around 2002. Semantic Dementia behaves similarly to Alzheimer's, in that it is a progressive disorder of the brain. What makes it different from Alzheimer's is that the brain's initial losses are language-based (word recall, name recall, not understanding the meaning of words spoken by others, etc.). The brain is impacted in the Frontal-Temporal lobes first, so behavior also becomes impacted (understanding social cues, being able to empathize, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, etc.).  As the disease progresses, other areas of brain function are impacted, and eventually all areas of life (verbal ability, motor control, cognitive function, etc.) are completely impaired. 
Because my mom is in a late-stage of this disease, she is no longer able to function in any capacity on her own, limiting both her and my dad's (her full-time caregiver) ability to be together with other people outside of their home. This is why I've decided to help reconnect them with people who have been a part of their lives, and provide some insight and update on the progression of my mom's disease and on my dad's care-giving journey. I'm grateful to be able to attempt to document for them what has become a complex, emotional, and life-altering time. And for so many of you, perhaps having more regular opportunities to know about their journey will allow you to enter into their lives in a meaningful way as well.
We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

Marcia