We have some wonderful friends and their kindnesses come in the most unexpected ways! Every few months we get our teeth cleaned…seemingly more information than you need to know, except it relates to this story. Megan is our dental hygienist and she does a wonderful job. She’s caring and thorough. One of those times this …
The Birthday Card
When you care for someone with Alzheimer’s, well-meaning people are in my mind a little too anxious to share their “stories” … “My uncle had it and my aunt wound up in the hospital for months from exhaustion caring for him.” “My mom had dementia and one day she drove away in her car and …
When It’s Been a Stressful Week…
…you need to rely on things that make you smile and things that bring a sense of calm to the madness. It has been a stressful week. One issue with John piled atop another. Most days I can handle it…I deal with the situation, then walk away and refocus my brain on something else. A …
Life Measured by Puzzle Pieces
As long as the pieces were large enough and the number of pieces was somewhere between 25 and 60—John enjoyed the repetition and the activity of puzzles. It was a new hobby, but the repetitiveness and that half of the dining room table that was his devoted puzzle area kept his mind somewhat active. When …
And So She Reminisced…
As I was sitting with John today as he struggled to complete a sentence and to take a breath I began to reminisce. About photography he’s taken: for the cookbooks I’ve written; from nature hikes; from our travels. The funny thing is, we have always traveled with two cameras…and once the photos were developed (film—yes, …
Do Not Let What You Cannot Do…
…interfere with what you can do. [John Wooden] I took John to the Ohio State Fair on opening day. It was, in my mind, the perfect summer day. A light breeze was whipping the just bloomed flowers around in the yard and the sun was warming the day to an ideal temperature of 79°F. He …
The Hospice Nurse and Denial
It’s been over a month now since we’ve had in home hospice care. We are focused on care and comfort…and keeping John at home and out of the hospital. Sometimes I think it’s a moment of (or maybe it’s moments of) sanity for all of us. No sleeping (well, it’s more like a very …
Observations
When you’re thrown into uncomfortable situations you learn a lot about yourself. Over the past several years since my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I’ve navigated this life that we find ourselves living, I’ve learned a lot about me. Things that were important before have undergone constant evaluation. I’ve been a long time fan …
Appreciation
Alzheimer’s changes the brain…and affects areas in that lovable cerebral cortex responsible for language, reasoning and social behavior. Repetition is part of what John is going through. Serious repetition. He will ask me the same question over and over and over and over and over and over (and probably more). At first, I thought I’d …
Life: Plan B
Sometimes things happen in life that are, well, unexpected and unnerving. They find us totally unprepared. When my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago, I felt like I had woken to this message: “Sorry, the lifestyle you ordered is currently out of stock” After reality set in and I had time to …