I am desensitized to this madness.

I guess I no longer realize what a horrific disease CJD is. I'm a couple years removed from the experience and I've definitely moved on with my life. I do what I can for the cause of finding a cure whenever I have some free time, I blog, I speak, I help journalists, but I don't have time to do the kinds of things I'd like to do.

Tonight I was reminded how terrifying this disease is and how little the "normal people" know about it. I say "normal" meaning those who have yet to hear of CJD. A coworker and I were swapping stories about losing our parents. I was telling my buddy about identifying my mother's body post-autopsy after it was returned from New Mexico -- the nearest place where I could find someone to do her autopsy. We live in Phoenix. I told him how her body bag was marked "biohazard" in big black Sharpie pen letters. It blew his mind. I forgot this impact these stories have. They really need to be told more often to anyone who wants to listen.