New for CJD Talk

I'm going to be working on sort of a "CJD for Newbies" series for this blog. I was remembering when my mom first got sick and I was looking online for anything her symptoms fit. I'd Google all her symptoms and I kept coming up with some thing called "CJD." At the time, however, I failed to realize it was a fatal disease. Once my mother was diagnosed with CJD and I began to learn about it, I discovered there was a lot to learn.

Today's tip is especially great if you've just stumbled upon this blog trying to find some information about CJD. If you don't know where to begin, let me be the first to tell you about the CJD Foundation if no one else has done so.

The first thing you can do is request information and support by calling the Foundation at 1-800-659-1991.

The Foundation also puts out an informational pamplet to help you handle your changing role as a caregiver.

In interest of beginning at the very beginning, you should download the Factsheet PDF about CJD so you can learn the very basics like what it is, what types of CJD there are, and whether this is "mad cow disease" or not. That last part is the cause of much strife, so it's good to put the myths quickly to rest!