Archive for July, 2007

I worked for 2 years after his diagnosis. Something very helpful (1)was to keep his cell turned on and only people who knew and cared about us had the number. Therefore, if a close friend called to take him for coffee, that person knew the routine about his safety and what to do or not do. Example: make sure door is locked and key is not left in the door outside.

(2) Turn the ringer off on the home phones and let calls go to voice mail.

(3) Painted a small stripe with a black felt marker on our mail box – it was agony for him to find the correct box and that helped so much. Now (July 07) he is having trouble finding the box – I usually have to point it out and then let him get the mail. He also is having difficulty closing/locking it. Tries to turn the lock manually but finally remembers to turn it with the key. (He never left he house to go for mail unless I was with him.)

(4) Lay clothes out for the next day and take away the worn clothes to the laundry.

(5) Make lunch and leave a note on the table. Phone him to remind him to eat breakfast and take his meds. Phone at lunch to remind him to eat lunch.

***Eventually, just before I quit work, he would put his meal in the microwave and forget to eat it. Or maybe he couldn’t run it. He can’t now (July 07) without help.

For a couple years I didn’t know what was happening in our world – a few strange, unusual things. Was it stress? My Hon was holding a very responsible job as controller for a large company. So, You’re Ok, right?

At home I didn’t see dramatic changes – I truly did not have a clue that a storm was brewing.

The controller job was very demanding and he should have had an assistant – so it’s stress, right??

October 2001 Arrived home from work and we sat and visited. He said he had some news and hoped I wouldn’t mind but he was changing jobs – within the company. I was delighted to hear he would now be on maintenance in their warehouse. In the past, we had tossed around the idea of just “getting a no stress” new job somewhere so this was no shock at all. We celebrated!

I didn’t have a clue that the change was necessary. No one told me anything. Until November 2003.

We dropped the little CRX off at the body shop for it’s new paint job. “What a brilliant idea, Hon.”
Excited, we carried on to the States for our week’s holiday. On the way home, we’d drop in and get our car. Not a care in our world.

After our holiday, we picked the car up. Sweet – all pretty. To celebrate our holiday, new paint job and for no reason, we decided to eat at a new restaurant before heading home.

I arrived at the parking lot – he was not there. A bit alarmed, I ran through the shopping center lot looking for our car. Back to the restaurant – even looked inside although he wouldn’t be inside if the car were not there. (Back then we didn’t have cells)

Waited about 1/2 hour and headed home, bewildered and worried.

We arrived and first things first – we build a fire. I had just got the digital camera and wanted to practice taking pics – we would be leaving for Nova Scotia on Sept.10/04 – just a few days later.

This pic actually personifies our life together – it may become our Christmas card someday.

Years ago I suggested to the in-laws that we should meet in Jasper for a May long weekend reunion. Everyone agreed and we went for 5 or 6 years. Stayed at the Tekarra private cabins.

We had a favorite cabin we always booked. Wonderful memories for us. This pic could be our cabin – sure looks like it. Wonderfully cozy.

So, being I could see things were changing rather quickly, I decided a get away to our favorite spot was a good idea. We called and booked. Jasper, here we come.

*****Again, this was solely our undertaking and no one else was involved. We planned, booked and paid by Mastercard – no one booked for us, knew about it or paid for us, helped in any way or knew of our plans.*****