Archive for October 30th, 2007
Brenda, our neighbor, brought a carved pumpkin to us this afternoon. I took a pic after he got up.
When I thanked her, she said she thought I may not have time to carve one with all the work going on here. Oui. Anyway, she toured the rooms and “approved” of my choices so far:)
Gotta cherish such terrific neighbors.
We love shopping – even grocery shopping. Anyway, we kind of make a thing of it and check out books and magazines, etc. After loading the cart up, I headed to the exit doors. He was quite stern and said, “Where are you going?”
“What do you mean, where am I going – to the car.”
“We haven’t paid.”
Phew! No more chit chatty grocery shopping for me. But I guess it was relaxing – I wonder if our local RCMP would have believed me!! No.
Being I have never known (personally) a person with Alzheimer’s, this is an eye opener.
I thank each of you who comment -
If you should come for dinner (I hope:), he probably could fake his way through the night. As long as there is nothing “to do”, he can basically make it. May get a bit quiet or he could be the life of the dinner, telling stories past and generally being very humorous. We love it when he clutches his tummy laughing so hard at something.
The problem comes in when a “to do” or “go get” comes up. It’s pretty wild to look at a vibrant, otherwise healthy 66 year old man, who can’t find our bedroom without prompt. Dr. C explained it and I forget (!) but if you tell him to make the bed, he can’t. If he does it from past experience, he does a fair job.
Found a sheaf of computer printouts from notes he made to staff. Years ago, he researched, then set up his company on computer. I read thru them and kept them “just because”. Now he doesn’t touch his computer but I bought him a new c. desk when I bought mine in 2003.
So new desk and computer sit silently by mine – maybe I was waiting for a miracle. Maybe that’s why I bought a laptop this year – it is kind of difficult to see his sitting there. I rarely go to the room now.
Most people we interact with do not believe the extent of the problem. It’s kind of like, “Well, sometimes I do —–too.” Dr. C said you certainly don’t need to convince.
Most people comment, “He seems OK to me.” I find that so offensive. If a person had cancer, early stage diagnosis, would they doubt and say he/she looks OK? Hopefully not.
I’ve decided to get tough in my response to their’s. When I hear that, I will invite them to spend a day with us. Actually, only one of W’s siblings supports or acknowledges a disease. It’s so serious a denial or whatever, that I won’t let the others take him out shopping. Last time out, he was left to sit on a chair at the mall while they phoned me. I asked to say hi to him and she said, “Oh, he’s too far away to call.” So I had her find him and call me back – he could just as easily been gone – in the winter.
Sadly his mother says, “It’s old age.” Personally, I didn’t feel 58 was old age but perhaps she know better than Dr. C.
This post may seem as if I am angry – I’m not. I just have never put in writing or told people many of these points.
Must thank you for reading and understanding. It’s been great meeting new friends and the support is real.
