The questions we live with
Every day, Linda and I face heavy, unanswered questions.
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How quickly will my disease progress?
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What new symptoms will emerge?
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Will Linda be able to care for me alone as I decline?
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When will we need to bring in professional caregivers?
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Can I realistically stay at home until the end?
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How will I navigate the impending depression and loss?
But the question that haunts me most is the one I already know the answer to: how will we pay for it all?
The hard truth is that we do not have the resources to cover the long-term medical and care expenses ahead.
The questions we live with
I built my life as an entrepreneur and small business owner. Like many founders, I lived through good years and lean years. Even during the successful seasons there was never enough left over to save. I always figured I would just keep working for decades to come. But my brain had other plans.
Years ago my short-term memory began to slip. I blamed it on age, stress, exhaustion, and chronic depression. It kept getting worse. Looking back, those early years of cognitive decline cost us dearly through poor business decisions I can no longer undo.
When the official Alzheimer's diagnosis came, everything changed overnight. We closed our business, sold our home, and moved to Chapel Hill so I could access specialized medical care through Duke Health. We are moving 50 miles west to Greensboro. The cost of living will be substantially less than Chapel Hill.
The math that doesn't add up
Since relocating, our living expenses have more than doubled.
Housing
Rent alone costs us $1,600 a month.
Transportation
Because I can no longer drive, we rely heavily on Uber, grocery delivery, and local transit.
Healthcare
Out-of-pocket medical costs not covered by insurance continue to climb.
Our Social Security benefits and limited savings simply cannot keep up with these mounting costs, let alone the professional caregiving expenses looming in our near future.
Building a lifeline — and how you can help
We are not giving up. Linda and I are working hard to build sustainable streams of income to support my care, but we need your help to make them thrive.
Your support gives me purpose
Linda and I have been deeply blessed by the immense generosity of friends, family, and kind strangers. Without you, I quite literally could not afford my care at Duke.
Your support does not just pay the medical bills — it gives me a reason to keep going. It reminds me that my story matters, and that we are not fighting this battle alone. Thank you for being here, and thank you for caring.
With gratitude, Greg
