A surprising and hopeful dementia diagnosis
Jay Layman began experiencing a tremor in his pinky finger and originally brushed it off as related to stress.
The symptoms progressed to a hand tremor, balance issues, and difficulty organizing and planning things at work. His wife, Dawn, persisted in searching for answers and set out to find the best doctors in movement and memory disorders. Her search led them to the Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program at Barrow Neurological Institute. He was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia at just 51 years old – a shocking but timely diagnosis.
Though it was life changing, Jay and Dawn remained hopeful. Dawn advises others, “I cannot tell you how many people I’ve spoken with who stop looking for answers when they hear the dementia diagnosis. That really should be the beginning of the search for answers. Without places like Barrow Neurological Institute…my husband would not have received a diagnosis in a timely manner.”
A father’s goal to set a good example
Lewy body dementia is a progressive disease that’s often difficult to pin point. It can affect thinking, memory, movement, sleep and behavior, making Jay’s timely diagnosis critical. Dawn feels like, “Our family has been given the gift of time by Barrow.” An early diagnosis gave them time to plan for the future and relish every moment they had together. Jay says,
“My goal is to set a good example for my boys, that you can have bad things happen but you don’t have to quit.”
Watch below as the Layman family shares their story from each member’s perspective.
A program that offers hope
The Barrow Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders Program inspires hope for patients. Leading Barrow doctors and researchers offer patients like Jay the opportunity to participate in clinical research studies, giving them access to the most innovative medicine and technologies.
Finding out Jay’s condition helped bring his family closer by prioritizing quality time for each other. Barrow provides families with the assurance of an accurate and timely diagnosis, along with cutting edge treatments, giving them the gift of time to spend with their loved one.