Classmates to honor one of their own
In honor of classmates Cheryl Metcalf and Libby Embry, graduates of the Fort Scott High School class of 1966 will share the responsibility of giving a speech at this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's May 19 in Pittsburg.
Metcalf, 63, lost her battle with the disease on Dec. 30, 2011. Embry, Metcalf's best friend since ninth grade, has early stage Alzheimer's.
Embry was planning to honor Metcalf at the walk, which starts with registration at 9:30 a.m. May 19 at Immigrant Park in Pittsburg, but will be unable to. Instead, she recruited friends known as Cheryl's Buddies for the distinction. They include Jim Covey, Cheryl's husband, Delbert "Dub" Metcalf, Linda Noll, Cathy Thomas, Debbie Sailors and Barbara Wood.
Embry, who said Metcalf was her best friend from the time they met as teenagers, was in Fort Scott last week to promote the walk and attend a funeral.
"I couldn't be more thrilled and honored that they're doing that," Embry said.
A retired teacher, she lives in Abilene, Texas, and is married to Jerry Embry, who is retired military. Both are 64 and have two children and three grandchildren.
Embry first realized something was wrong when she forgot to attend a meeting she had gone to every day at the same time for years and then missed a tutoring session at a local college. "I just was floored," said Embry, the former English department head at an Abilene middle school who tutored high school and college students.
Embry said she and Metcalf "both ended up with that diagnosis right at the same time. We were a lot alike," she said. "It devastates you. You don't want to think you can't do it anymore. Lots of things go through your head."
FSHS' Class of '66 had had reunions every five years and now has one annually. The last time she saw Metcalf, "I knew it wouldn't be long," Embry said.
But she said that when you've seen one Alzheimer's patient, you have only seen that one. "Alzheimer's affects everyone differently," Embry said.
She was diagnosed 4 1/2 or five years ago and has suffered several TIAs, or transient ischemic attacks, known as mini-strokes. "I have some days that are pretty bad, but the majority (are) pretty good," she said.
Lynette Emmerson, administrator of Fort Scott Manor, met Embry at Metcalf's memorial service and asked if Embry could participate in the walk.
Emmerson, who has co-chaired the walk for many years, told organizers that Embry "could put a face" on the Baby Boomers being afflicted in increasing numbers.
Jerry Embry says the disease is like a ticking bomb -- it could be 30-40 years before you're diagnosed and there is no cure. Although there are medications, they just slow Alzheimer's progress.
"The biggest thing we've got to go on is early diagnosis. Once it's gone, it's gone. There is no cure, so we just have to start recognizing that now. One day I'm hopeful this is going to be whipped," Jerry Embry said.
This will be Dub Metcalf's first experience with the walk. Now retired, he managed Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services offices in 11 Southeast Kansas counties. Cheryl Metcalf worked with him as a program consultant.
"I think you have to be affected by a disease before you get involved," Embry said. "... They're stepping up to the plate and that's all you can ask. I'm proud of them. I knew they'd do it. I didn't even think about it."
Libby Embry knows she will not see a cure for Alzheimer's in her lifetime. "But I want to see a cure for my kids and grandkids and their kids," she said.