This picture was taken in July 2009. We were on Pensacola Beach watching the Blue Angels with our friend Gary Brantley.
My name is Billy Ray Brantley. I was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's Dementia on October 12, 2007. Within 2.5 months, the business was gone. Within 8 months the house(s) were gone along with the recreational homes, boats, tools, everything. What we did not choose to get rid of, the bank handled for us.
Today, I am 65 years old and built homes most of my adult life. Thousands of them. Before that, my daddy and D-Daddy (grandfather) laid bricks. Must be why I have such problems with my back, neck and shoulders.
I can no longer read or write. My wife, Rhonda, will do all the writing. So when it appears that I am writing, I am not ~ its her. She has started a Facebook page for me and I enjoy getting messages from old friends.
Most days I am at home, piddling around the house. Some days I can tell the time, some days not. I cannot tell you the day of the week or month. I have a lot to say but sometimes cannot say it.
I take Namenda twice a day and wear the 24 hour Exelon patch. My first infusion for a clinic trial at the University of Alabama - Birmingham was Monday, March 15, 2010. She will post more on that later. (Update: after a mini-stoke in July 2010, I am out of the Bapi trial)
We have seven children total. I had four, she had one, we had one and we took one from somebody else. We have about 12 grandchildren.
