Reagan loss

To the editor:

I would like to take polite exception to the headline in the June 6 Journal-World about the death of Ronald Reagan: “‘Great Communicator’ loses battle with Alzheimer’s.” While no fan of Reagan, I agonized with his family over the painfully long duration of this terminal disease for someone they loved. I cannot speak for other families, but I felt a tremendous sense of relief when my own mother died of Alzheimer’s after suffering for nearly 15 years.

I can understand how some people “lose” battles with certain diseases, which implies that there are, conversely, “winners,” usually referred to as “survivors.” Unfortunately, until medical science develops a cure for Alzheimer’s, the only way to beat it is to not suffer too long. If Reagan enjoyed some kind of quality life despite Alzheimer’s, he won. If he died peacefully, he won.

Mary-Margaret Simpson,

Lawrence