I've seen Alzheimer's disease. I know it well, though I certainly do not consider it a friend. I watched as it took my grandmother. Its voracious appetite was not sated, however, and years later, it came back to devour my mother.

For several years, I was Mother's chief custodian. When she got to the point she could no longer live alone 24-7, my husband and I moved in with her. We both worked, but we were there the rest of the day and night to help Mom with everyday activities like making sure she took her medications, helping her pay bills, running errands for her, and making sure she ate properly.

As Mom's condition deteriorated, we could no longer keep her at home. She needed around-the-clock supervision, and we could not afford to quit working. We ended up putting Mom in an assisted living facility next door to my place of employment. This made it convenient for me to check in on her every afternoon on my way home.

Mom began failing in 2002, and she died in 2008. That was a long six years for us - not to mention how difficult it was for her. I am totally convinced that Alzheimer's is the worst malady that can befall a human being. For the individual who has the disease, it's terrifying. The early stages were probably the worst for Mom - when she was still cognizant enough to know what was happening. She was a nurse and knew what her future held, especially after watching her own mother suffer from the condition.

I remember Mom's trying her hardest to remember my father - her husband of 60 years. He had died in 2001, and on most days, she could not remember anything about him. I remember her telling me, "I know your father and I were married a long time, and during those years, we must have made some good memories...but I can't find them. It's as if someone stole my life away...like it never even happened."

That was heart-breaking for the entire family, especially so for my brother and me. As Mom got worse, she became harder to handle, but in a different way. She went through a short period of time when she became very combative, which was totally out of character for her. She cursed sometimes and accused family members of all kinds of crazy things. Of course, we knew this was not really our beloved mother saying such vile things, but it still hurt.

Later, Mom got to where she didn't always recognize us. This hurt, also, even though we knew she couldn't help it. She always recognized me as someone she loved, but she couldn't always remember my name or that I was her daughter. Sometimes she thought I was her sister, and at other times she thought I was her mother. I must say, however, once Mom reached this stage she seemed happy all the time. But she had become somewhat robotic, with very little of her "old self" left. It was as if our real mother had already died and some imposter were in her body.

Unless you've gone through the tragedy of having a loved one with Alzheimer's, you don't know the toll it can take on a family - especially on the chief caregiver. Sometimes you don't think you can endure another day of the pain, the sorrow, and the frustration. At other times, you'll feel an immense sea of grief, wondering if you shouldn't be doing more. Sometimes you'll feel guilty for not having the patience of Job or the wisdom of Solomon...but there is help.

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America is a non-profit organization that helps people cope with this debilitating disease. It offers strategies for caregivers and family members, including tips on understanding the disease, relieving stress, and how to think positive. The foundation offers advice on cognitive stimulation to slow your loved one's decline, how to comfort your loved one, and how to plan for their long-term care. They also provide advice about communicating with physicians and educating yourself about the disease to help you better handle it.

I found that just visiting the website of the Alzheimer's Foundation was comforting. I knew that I was not alone and that there were people who cared. I received a wealth of information through the foundation, along with a treasure of support.