I'd subscribe to this way of thinking, if Mum hadn't known her own destiny. She had seen her sister, some 18 years older than her, go through that which she was facing and she fought like a Trojan whilst she was still able to hold on to that which was herself. She knew. In one of the things I hate to recall, she told me after much persuasion that which she was so very, very worried about - she was afraid, the details of which I couldn't bear to voice, but to do her the disservice of saying that her initial fight was not fought would be a betrayal of her. If nothing else, her researchers need this information. Alzheimer himself, at least, had the dignity to provide his own experiences at the expense of himself. For us, there were the two stages of denial; the supporting of her right to that 'denial' and the later stages of which she had no charge - the love glove handling stage, sometimes managed so badly I could weep, for us, such as it was.
In worrying of my own destiny, given recent research, I am assured that genetically I am of my father's family - that just leaves me Cancer to negotiate, if we are to believe the succession of genetic history. I am going for denial - I'll face that particular hurdle as it presents itself, but will keep you posted.
Chesca