Hey there, friends. Let’s talk about something deeply personal for Dr. Mehmet Oz, a name you might know from your TV screens. Recently, Dr. Oz opened up about the heart-wrenching experience of realizing his mother, Suna Oz, was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. This revelation hit him hard, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions, guilt being at the forefront.
“It’s been a tough pill to swallow. I feel guilty because I missed the signs until it was almost too late,” Dr. Oz confided in People magazine. He described the moment of discovering his mom’s condition as a "gut punch." Imagine that—learning that the person who shaped so much of your life is grappling with something so profound and irreversible. That’s heavy, right?
Spotting the Signs: A Missed Opportunity
At 59 years old, Dr. Oz, along with his two sisters, didn’t pick up on the subtle changes in Suna’s behavior early enough. Things like forgetting how to dress herself and struggling with basic communication slipped past them. “If she meant to say, ‘You look beautiful today,’ she’d say, ‘You look pretty prettier today.’ I should’ve noticed those little hints, but I didn’t,” he admitted.
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Dr. Oz took to Instagram to share his mom’s story with his followers, urging them to be vigilant about early Alzheimer’s symptoms. He explained how he initially dismissed her forgetfulness as just part of aging. “It was painful to admit that her health was slipping, but acknowledging it allowed us to get her the help she needed sooner rather than later,” he wrote.
Mom ❤️ It was tough to admit that her health was declining, but doing so let us get her the help she needed quickly. You’ve got the power to speak up if you spot any Alzheimer’s symptoms in a loved one. It might be uncomfortable, but it could slow the progression of the disease in someone you care about. Here are six early Alzheimer’s symptoms you should never ignore: (1) Challenges in planning, (2) Difficulties completing tasks, (3) Confusion about time and place, (4) Problems with words, (5) Trouble understanding visuals, and (6) Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. Visit the link in my bio to read my mom’s story. . . . #❤️❤️ #love #endalz #family #mom #droz
Dr. Oz expressed his frustration and anger at not catching the signs sooner. “We all could’ve seen it coming, but we didn’t. I thought it was just her getting older, that she was stressed, or maybe it was because my dad was ill. But we missed the truth,” he reflected.
Alzheimer’s: A Silent Intruder
Dr. Oz likened Alzheimer’s to “a snake in the grass.” He explained, “You don’t see it. You only notice its effects suddenly, and if there’s a wind blowing the grass, you don’t even notice the grass moving strangely. It sneaks up on you.” This analogy paints a vivid picture of how insidious the disease can be, creeping into lives without warning.
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For Suna’s care, the Oz family decided to have her live with her sister in Turkey, where she could receive round-the-clock attention. “She’s aware, but she’s forgetting things,” Dr. Oz admitted. Watching his mom battle Alzheimer’s has been incredibly difficult for him.
I recently learned that my mom, Suna, has Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing the diagnosis was devastating. But what hurt even more was realizing the signs were there all along—I had just overlooked them. When her stubbornness increased, I blamed it on her getting older. My sister noticed she started doing her makeup differently after 60 years, but didn’t say anything. When she began giving away her belongings to people she barely knew, I thought she was just lightening her load after my dad passed. But these small changes were actually the first signs of Alzheimer’s. It was painful to admit that my mom’s health was declining, but doing so let us get her help as soon as possible. You can speak up if you suspect these symptoms in a loved one. It might be uncomfortable, but it could slow Alzheimer’s progression. Visit the link in my bio to read my mom’s story and learn the six early symptoms you should never ignore. . . . #endalz #mom #❤❤ #love #droz
“These changes aren’t normal for my mom. That’s the hardest part of this whole experience because I end up losing my mom twice,” Dr. Oz explained. “The woman whose bright eyes were there for every moment of my childhood—those eyes are starting to dim. The light that made her who she was is fading.”
Coming to Terms with Loss
As her memories fade, Dr. Oz feels the deep sorrow of losing the essence of his mom. “When she doesn’t understand what I’m saying, as her memories disappear, she stops being my mom,” he continued. “Her body will still be there, and obviously, I’ll love that body, but it won’t be the same as loving my mom.”
We’re deeply sorry that Dr. Oz and his family are going through this. It’s a reminder of the importance of being attentive to our loved ones and recognizing the early signs of such diseases.
