A young mom who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s has recalled how doctors brushed her off for months – and shared the early symptoms that she overlooked.
Staci Marklin, 47, from Tennessee, started noticing that she was suffering from subtle ‘memory issues’ when she was expecting her first child back in 2022.
But at the time, Marklin, who was working as a nurse, ‘chalked it up’ to simply being overtired from the pregnancy and working long hours.
However, in August 2024 she began ‘switching words’ and she knew deep down that something was wrong.
‘I would say “curtain” instead of “carpet” for [example]. As I was a nurse that worked in geriatrics I knew that I should get checked,’ she explained during a recent chat with the Daily Mail.
Despite her suspicions, it would take nearly a year for her to finally get her diagnosis.
Her primary care doctor, who she described as ‘wonderful,’ referred her to a neurology group specializing in memory disorders.
Marklin explained that because her grandmother battled Alzheimer’s, she pushed her doctors to check for it.
A young mom who is suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s has recalled doctors brushed her off for months – and shared the early symptoms that she overlooked
Staci Marklin (seen with her son), 47, from Tennessee, said it took nearly a year for her to finally get her diagnosis
However, she explained that ‘all the providers she saw’ dismissed her fears because they said ‘early onset Alzheimer’s was so rare at her age.’
But thankfully, ‘as a nurse she knew how to advocate for herself.’
‘I got a ton of testing. All the initial testing came back normal,’ she recalled. ‘All the providers I saw said early onset Alzheimer’s would be rare at my age.’
Finally, in March 2025, seven months after she first went to the doctor, she received a diagnosis.
‘My husband and I were devastated. We were in the middle of building our dream home in Tennessee far from all our family and friends,’ she recalled.
‘We began to grieve the life we had planned and started planning our new future around this diagnosis.’
Since her diagnosis, Marklin – who is also the stepmother to her husband’s 21-year-old daughter – admitted that her short term memory has gotten worse, which she said makes it extremely difficult to parent her now-three-year-old.
‘I once changed a diaper then immediately after said to my husband, “Oh my God I forgot to change his diaper.” He of course replied, “You just did that,”‘ she shared.
She explained that ‘all the providers she saw’ brushed off her fears because they said ‘early onset Alzheimer’s was so rare at her age’
‘Being a full-time toddler mom while juggling Alzheimer’s symptoms can be challenging.’
She added that she ‘struggles with regulating her emotions’ and can become ‘irritated and agitated easily.’
‘I have good days and bad days with communication and word finding difficulty,’ she explained.
She always has to have someone with her, as she added, ‘I just feel like it’s a safety net. I can be alone with him but would rather take every precaution.’
While it took Marklin quite some time to come to terms with her diagnosis, she has now learned to accept it.
She recently started speaking about her health journey on TikTok, where her videos have racked up hundreds of thousands of views.
‘When I was diagnosed I felt embarrassed. When people think of Alzheimer’s they think of it as a disease affecting mainly the elderly population and that they are unable to do anything for themselves,’ she said.
‘It was hard for me to tell people. But I want to show that this isn’t true.’
Marklin stressed that ‘all Alzheimer’s patients don’t look the same’ and reminded others who may be suffering from the disease
‘With the new diagnostic testing, people are being diagnosed at much earlier stages in the disease process.
‘This will lead to earlier interventions and hopefully in the future we will see Alzheimer’s as a treatable disease and not a death sentence.
‘I started my TikTok page to document my journey and in doing so I have found many people like myself and a huge network of support. I no longer feel alone.’
Marklin stressed that ‘all Alzheimer’s patients don’t look the same’ and reminded others who may be suffering from the disease or have a family member suffering from the disease that they’re ‘not alone.’
