Deputy Conservative leader Lisa Raitt and her husband Bruce Wood appeared on CTVās Power Play Tuesday to talk about how their lives have changed since Wood was diagnosed with Alzheimerās disease two years ago.
āIt hits you out of the blue,ā Raitt, an Ontario MP, told Power Play host Don Martin. āYou donāt expect the diagnosis.ā
Wood was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimerās in May, 2016 at the age of 56. It started with misplacing everyday objects, he said.
āIt was noticed at work that Bruce wasnāt as vocal in board meetings,ā Raitt added. āThe way it was explained to us is, heās missing verbs and nouns but he can talk around the topics.ā
Wood, who formerly served as president and CEO of the Hamilton Port Authority, is no longer working. But that, Raitt explained, has been something of a silver lining since the diagnosis.
āWe actually have Bruce home more,ā Raitt, who has two children from a previous marriage, said. āHeās a lot more present in our lives... And when weāre together on weekends, weāre really together on weekends.ā
Contrary to expectations, the diagnosis was not earth-shattering, Wood said.
āI didnāt take it that way,ā he explained. āIt was one of these things: OK, here it is, let me at it and weāll figure it out.ā
Wood also thinks that he has many more years of independence left.
āI would say itās going to take a long time,ā he said of the diseaseās progression. āThe way I look at itā¦ (Iām) still driving, doing all these things that I want to do.ā
Wood urged anyone who thinks they may have Alzheimerās to go and see their doctor.
āThere are probably thousands of people out there that have the same disease and they donāt know,ā he said. āGet your doctor and go see them -- you have to do that.ā
Raitt also thanked Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer for giving her time to focus on her family life.
āThis leader has been really supportive to me,ā she said. āIām grateful to Andrew.ā
