MARIE GENSKAY CJD MEMORIAL WEBSITE

Angels Lullaby - A Favorite Song of Marie's.....

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IN LOVING MEMORY OF MARIE GENSKAY
JULY 8, 1940 - OCTOBER 18, 1999

I DID NOT DIE...

Do not stand at my grave and weep:
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow:.
I am the diamond glints on Minnesota snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain:
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush.
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds circling in flight.
I am the soft star that shines at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there; I did not die.
--Author Unknown

ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE DREADED
CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE (CJD)

Once in awhile, someone comes into your life and changes it forever. This is what happened when a still young, fascinating woman, by the name of Flora Marie Genskay came into my life over a year ago. I came to know Marie through her wonderful daughter, Carmie, who many of you know as KGen263875@aol.com, Psy3mom and other screen names. In short time, Marie became one of those nice people who become special friends. We have never met, but I felt so very close to her, as I think she did to me.

It was a tremendous shock when Carmie said her Mom had become seriously ill. She was in pretty good health prior to this. It quickly became apparent that she did not have a stroke, as was first thought. Thanks to the efforts of a young woman neurologist, it was soon determined that Marie had many of the symptoms of a disease that was, for many years, thought to be rare, but is now becoming more common among us. It is called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or CJD.

It was first identified in the 1920's. We know of it because of it's English Cousin, "Mad Cow Disease". This is the human version of it. In a matter of weeks, Marie went from a perfectly healthy woman to one who could no longer control her movements, or much of anything else. She quickly became bedridden, as her family rallied around her to help her through this. Her loving daughter, Carmie Genskay and Marie's son Dave became her main care providers. Conversations with her very knowledgable neurologist, who has been down the CJD road before, and research conducted on the Internet, revealed to the family that she had only a few months to live before this terrible disease took her life. There is no cure.

CJD kills the brain, causing it to disconnect from all bodily functions. In just three months time, Marie literally died mentally and physically before the eyes of her family. Nothing could be done to stop it. To learn more about this fatal disease, how you can get it, what happens to a person and family who get it, please review the links below. Then join us in the fight to make this country and the medical/scientific community more aware of it, before it kills a lot more. Many hospitals, and doctors do not have a clue regarding this disease. Normal hospital sterilization procedures do NOT kill this disease. Read the links to find out more. It can scare you to death.

Carmie has spent the last three months at her mothers side. She left her home to care for her, often nearly around the clock, day in and day out. Hopefully, after she has recovered sufficiently, she will join me in telling you the story of her delightful, warm, loving, Mom, and her fight against CJD. For now, she is recuperating, regaining her outer and inner strength. I am sure she has much to say.