ENDALZ ... Please never morn your love ones while they are alive. Live in the moment with them even in their reality when necessary.  Individuals with brain disorders are not deaf, they hear, they process and more times than we know they understand what is being said.  Cleveland is a part of every conversation in his presence. There is no whispering, there is laughter, music, we talk to him, never talk around him. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2009, continues to eat, drink, chew, swallow, talk, respond to questions, knows his name, etc.  Therefore, can stages of Alzheimer’s truly be given a number? Exactly, how do we/they define onset, stage two or stage six of ALZ?... We can’t and they can’t. ALZ is individual, the journey is traveled alone by the ALZ patient, we caregivers simply follow, giving care with dignity, compassion, kindness, respect, patience and love. We are in constant on the job training mode. Caregivers don’t plan their days, they are reactively ready to respond to their patients’ actions. Until two identical cases of Alzheimer’s Disease are discovered, how can milestones be set?  Would a cure be for that one person? Caregiver are the voices for their patients.  Cleveland is not defying odds, he’s simply responding to the Hands-On caregiving he’s receiving. Cleveland’s eyes still see, his ears continue to hear, he is still Cleveland Johnson.  Oftentimes his memory fails, he’s sometimes slower in responding but inside he’s still Cleveland and I will not mourn him because he’s still Cleveland somewhere in that shell. And, he resurfaces and we encourage.