tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2633432164067539412024-03-14T07:40:15.007-04:00Dementia Be DamnedLyn was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 40.
Lyn is intellectually disabled.
Lyn is my sister.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.comBlogger1375125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-26659623183559435792018-02-12T01:00:00.000-05:002018-02-12T01:00:39.886-05:00ConversingIn Lyn's last quarterly check up with her physician, her physician noted that there's been a marked decline in Lyn's ability to follow a conversation. <div>
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If she picks up on one of her triggers like hearing us discuss the body, she will start to get upset and a single sentence or two from us now mollifies her. She'll look confused but accepts our explanation that we're not being inappropriate. She really doesn't get mad or hold onto it much. She was much more feisty about it even 6 months ago.</div>
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When I speak to her, she's got a small set of questions she always asks. She doesn't deviate from the questions.</div>
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<ul>
<li>How are you?</li>
<li>How is your husband?</li>
<li>How are the kids?</li>
<li>What are your kids doing?</li>
<li>Do I hear your dog?</li>
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I'm not sure that she is listening to how I answer. It seems like she's just wanting a response and any response will suffice. Now, I haven't tested this. I have not messed with her. I give her honest answers like "I'm good; just doing laundry", "He's fine. He's in the garage", "They're avoiding me because they don't want me to ask them to do chores", and "Yes, she's snoring on her pillow." You can see her shift away with anything more than a one or two sentence response. Complex answers like "He's in the garage working on bee hive components in preparation for Spring" would be too much for her. </div>
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When speaking with Lyn, she wants to be included but can't participate much in the conversation. She sits and drifts mentally. She may spark long enough to ask her small set of questions and then drifts again. She may randomly interject a comment or recall something she feels is important. It is important because it is the thought she has at that moment. We listen and respond. She's content or mollified. </div>
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Those interjections can be completely unrelated to the prior topic at hand. We just shift and act as though it was. When she wants to say something, we stop and listen. We physically stop and turn to her to make sure she knows she has our attention.</div>
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LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-47241003621604758482018-02-08T01:00:00.000-05:002018-02-08T01:00:38.427-05:00Lyns HealthRecently, Mom commented that she was so thankful that Lyn hasn't had a sinus infection or major illness in some time. Illness is very hard on an Alzheimer's patient and tends to set them further down the declining path a bit faster than they were before the illness.<br />
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Unfortunately, Lyn and Mom are both fighting the flu. The flu has been particularly bad this year and they are down with it. Mom made sure they got their flu shots in the Fall. She does every year. I'm very glad they get their vaccinations. While they're feeling awful, the shots are helping keep both of them out of the hospital. <br />
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Even before the onset of the flu, Lyn's sleep patterns are changing. She's wanting to nap at least 2 hours a day. While she's sick, she's napping nearly 4 hours a day. During the night, Lyn wakes up several times and is back to sleeping with Mom for part of the night. Mom feels it's better that Lyn joins her than wanders the house in the dark. For Lyn, this is a comfort thing. She feels safe crawling in with Mom.<br />
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Lyn's seen by her physician quarterly. Her weight is still slowly going down. She's not dieting. Her body is forgetting how to process food well. Her physician has added a nutrition drink like Boost or Ensure to her daily routine. Lyn likes the chocolate ones. <br />
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Her health has been pretty stable for an extended period. Hopefully, this bout of flu won't knock her back too far. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-76532960120334388312018-01-29T01:00:00.000-05:002018-01-29T01:00:18.744-05:00Jesus WhoppingNow, before you get upset at the title, I ask for your patience. I promise I'm not going to disparage anyone's beliefs. I'm just going to convey what was said. Let's get to our story.<br />
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Lyn's 47th birthday was about two weeks ago. She went to Mass that day and stopped on the way out to get her normal hug from Monsignor. Lyn's always ingratiated herself to the clergy. She's got her grandmother's ability to charm, after all.<br />
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After their hug, Lyn asked Monsignor to guess what the day was. He clued in pretty quickly and she beamed when he guessed it was her birthday. He told her he wasn't going to ask her age because he's a gentleman and knows the question would get him in trouble. Lyn missed the joke. He then asked her to hold out her hand and Lyn complied. <br />
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Monsignor then said "I want to whoop some extra Jesus on you!"<br />
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Lyn jerked her hand back in shock. "No!" She didn't want any Jesus whopping.<br />
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Turns out he just wanted to give her an extra blessing delivered via high-five. It took a little explaining but she eventually held out her hand.<br />
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Meanwhile, the man next in light was choking back his laughter.<br />
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<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-5315828391634047772018-01-01T18:18:00.000-05:002018-01-01T18:18:27.299-05:00Longer than AnticipatedWell, that took longer than anticipated. <br />
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I honestly thought I would just take a month off from blogging. A series of unfortunate events have added to inertia which brings me to picking up the blog after a 3 1/2 month hiatus. About the time I had planned to come back, I injured my dominant hand and was in a brace for a month. The holidays happened, there was work related travel, software to release, and clients to bring live. I am back but with the expectation that I'll be blogging less overall. I've got some medical issues of my own to tend to as well as some recurring appointments for my kids.<br />
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Over the next few weeks, we'll touch on the changes that have happened in the last few months. We'll take a look at her bath room remodel and the reasons why it was necessary to remove the tub. We'll learn some new vocabulary words as well.<br />
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Lyn's health is good. She had a quiet and pleasant Christmas and even pulled a prank on our Uncle. She's facing some changes with day hab but they have been long foreseen and planned.<br />
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I hope your last few months have been good and productive. I hope you've had a good start to 2018. I look forward to working through this year with you.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-47001778980445200442017-09-12T01:00:00.000-04:002017-09-12T01:00:07.678-04:00Needing Breathing SpaceMy blogging has seriously tapered off recently. <br />
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hmm... That feels like an understatement. <br />
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My blogging has laid down at the top of a grassy hill on a late summer day, pitched itself over the crown and is still rolling towards the bottom. <br />
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I've contemplated quitting because it feels like there's only so many ways to say "Lyn's disease is progressing" or "she's getting worse" or "another skill was lost." There's no miracle cure that will extend her life. There's not been a lot of progress on the research front. Drugs are tested and found lacking when applied to people. <br />
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Is this ennui due to the reality of Lyn's progression or is it due to all the other stuff that's taking up brain space. Who knows? The kids are back in school (finally!) and the unending "what homework do you have today" questions have begun. Three years of work at the office is in transition as the beta period is ending and clients are going live with the software. This brings a new level of client support into the picture. The news for the past year has gotten to me. I come home at the end of the day exhausted.<br />
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I find that I need a bit of breathing space. I'm trying to not look at the news so much. I'm not getting into debates. (If you know me, that's a pretty significant statement.) I'm taking some time to explore some other skills. I'm nearly done with my second queen-sized quilt with fabric queued up for three more much smaller quilts. I'm painting a little more and just told my husband I want a loom for Christmas. I think I'll even finish a cross stitch this week too and have made progress on a crochet blanket. <br />
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This too shall pass. <br />
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In the meantime, please feel free to ask some questions or suggest topics. I'd be happy to respond and write if I just didn't have to think up the topics myself. <br />
<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-72227725978404914672017-09-06T01:00:00.000-04:002017-09-06T01:00:01.797-04:00Cynical ApproachMom had a recent exchange with an individual who was claiming that a cure for Alzheimer's had been found. The site the individual referenced was full self-referencing links and weak claims such as "...a 2006 study claimed...". There was no reference to the study by name, the involved scientists or links to published materials.<br />
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The cure in question was the basic heart healthy lifestyle approaches we've referenced here such as diet, exercise, learning a new skill, and steps to lower your blood pressure. All of these things are good things to do for lots of reasons. They may help you stave off Alzheimer's. Will they cure it? No. <br />
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The exchange was interesting because the person claimed that the site was the only one telling the truth and that peer reviewed studies were skewed. The person asked Mom where she got her information an scoffed when Mom replied that the Alzheimer's Association was a primary source of information for her. The individual went on to explain that the Alzheimer's Association has no interest in actually finding a cure for Alzheimer's because their funding would dry up.<br />
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This is the part that I find terribly cynical. <br />
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Organizations which raise funds which are directed towards finding a cure for a particular disease or condition are set up to organize the effort of raising awareness, collecting, and distributing funds. They are focused on their particular disease. They're not profit engines. They may raise millions but they also give away millions. In the case of the Alzheimer's Association, <a href="http://www.alz.org/join_the_cause_use_of_funds_jtc.asp">they give 79% of funds </a>raised for care, support, research, awareness and advocacy. The rest is split between administrative costs such as salaries (6%) and fundraising (15%). The fundraising costs would include direct mailers, email efforts and the like. <br />
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Would the Alzheimer's Association or similar organization shut down once a verified cure for the malady of focus is found? Yes. I believe they would. It would be a good problem to have. If they didn't shut down, they may transition to focusing on a related condition. For example, the Alzheimer's Association may decide to start focusing on finding the cure for Frontotemporal Dementia (FtD). They would have a reasonable basis for such a decision. A cure is found. They have success. They also have the structure and resources at hand to try to bring about a cure for a similar disease. <br />
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I'm fairly confident that the connection between Mom and the other individual is pretty much severed at this point. It's not a big loss. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-16795318426413965152017-08-29T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-29T01:00:32.199-04:00Dental Follow UpMom called and got Lyn seen yesterday.<br />
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The hole in Lyn's tooth turned out to NOT be a cavity. It turned out to be a cracked tooth. Lyn bit down on something which fractured the tooth. The dentist says it looks like she had chomped down on a rock.<br />
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Mom apologized for all the things she thought about the dental practice over the weekend. It never occurred to us that the damage could have been a fractured tooth instead of a previously missed cavity.<br />
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The dentist was gracious and laughed it off. He also was able to repair it. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-12800407652375724182017-08-28T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-28T01:00:16.236-04:00The Sharp ToothOn Friday, Lyn had her regularly scheduled dental appointment. It was noted that she needed to improve her teeth brushing and flossing skills. She was to come back to her next scheduled appointment.<br />
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On Saturday, Lyn went out with her respite provider. They stopped for ice cream and Lyn complained of her sharp tooth and that it hurt. When they got home, Mom asked her to open her mouth so she could point to the sharp tooth. As soon as Mom looked in, she spotted a massive cavity. <br />
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Now we're wondering how this cavity wasn't spotted by the Dentist or the hygienist the day before. How could it have gone so long without it being spotted and treated?<br />
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Mom's calling the dentist as soon as they open this morning.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-83835065541989065222017-08-24T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-24T01:00:20.139-04:00She Spotted ItWhen I was visiting Mom and Lyn, Lyn spotted my newest tattoo. Mom's known about it for about a year.<br />
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When Lyn spotted it, there were others around. She quietly asked me "What's that? Did you write on yourself?"<br />
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I told her it was a tattoo. <br />
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I got The Look.<br />
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She didn't lecture me. She actually never mentioned it again. It was still worth getting The Look from her.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-54986983903398009212017-08-21T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-21T01:00:00.342-04:00PancakesLyn has her favorite breakfast places. There's a restaurant in town which serves her favorite pancakes. She likes them because they're huge.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UYSrCyBFJ7J7lXqelIlX2QZApg0zIWOruiOq-BzRRrzyy1PzDHbG3lmq5Egm6yexKg23VypECSzlG41y0wZbuqnfp7O-afR_WIGsv5meAPxKDg6QbMvAbJtTy3N5bhjoyJ5rcklH32w/s1600/pancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2UYSrCyBFJ7J7lXqelIlX2QZApg0zIWOruiOq-BzRRrzyy1PzDHbG3lmq5Egm6yexKg23VypECSzlG41y0wZbuqnfp7O-afR_WIGsv5meAPxKDg6QbMvAbJtTy3N5bhjoyJ5rcklH32w/s400/pancakes.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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They always make her smile.</div>
<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-89778429847441104112017-08-16T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-16T01:00:07.955-04:00Lyn's Dating RulesOur uncle who was widowed last year has started to date. He's made this known by referencing "my girlfriends." It's all casual and one of his girlfriends is a neighbor who's in her 90s that he just loves to help out. He's known her for years.<br />
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We were chatting about his girlfriends last week when Lyn decided to offer up Lyn's Dating Rules. They are pretty short and sweet and go like this.<br />
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<ol>
<li>You're not allowed to date.</li>
<li>No one's allowed to date.</li>
<li>Dating is not allowed.</li>
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Lyn told our uncle that he needed to stop dating right away and give up anything remotely connected to the concept of girlfriend. She begrudgingly accepted the 90 year old staying in the picture because he's not really dating her and just calls her his girlfriend.</div>
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Lyn then turned on Mom and stated that she's not allowed to date. A little digging revealed that she doesn't want Mom to talk to strangers.</div>
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I asked Lyn if I was allowed to date. I was told "No! That's unappropriated!" When asked why, she pointed out that I already have a husband. </div>
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She's got a point.</div>
LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-2758944845509201992017-08-15T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-15T01:00:00.179-04:00It's OKIt's OK to look at your loved one and acknowledge that Alzheimer's is causing changes, breaking down the person in ways which cannot be mended.<br />
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It's OK to grieve as you see them scared and frustrated because they're aware of the changes happening to them. They know that their brain is changing and that it doesn't work as well as it used to work.<br />
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It's OK to wish they weren't as aware of what was happenings they are.<br />
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It's OK to acknowledge that if they passed tonight, it wouldn't be a bad thing.<br />
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When they do pass, it's OK if you have no tears. You've spent them as you have watched your loved one fade away.<br />
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To the friend's family who have just lost their Grandfather who had Alzheimer's. Rest assured that you are not bad people, disloyal, or unloving because you have no tears right now. Go easy on yourselves and know that his confusion and frustration is over. Treasure your memories of him.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-17024223125168531292017-08-14T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-14T01:00:28.612-04:00The Fight EasesLast week was spent with Mom and Lyn. It was a good time to observe her closely. This always leads to a long, in-depth conversation with Mom in which we discuss the changes we've observed.<br />
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Lyn's vocabulary is reduced. Her ability to string words together and put thoughts together are also deeply compromised. Her willingness to eat anything other than a very small handful of foods has also diminished. All of these changes have been gradual and expected. They've also been noted in conversations over the past several months.<br />
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Of greater significance is that the fight is going out of Lyn. <br />
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She is confused and frustrated by her confusion on a daily basis. At this point, she's not able to make any sort of decision. She'll say "No" when she's done or doesn't want something. However, if you ask a "want" question such as "What do you want to eat" or "What do you want to do?", she's unable to answer. She now complies with whatever you suggest.<br />
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She still wants to be the center of attention. She retreats to her room to be alone when she can't handle attention going elsewhere. She used to get argumentative and grouchy. That's gone now. If she didn't like how I was doing something, she'd tell me and then grumble if I countered her. That's gone now. She tried to offer corrective direction to me just once in the week and quietly stopped when I told her I was good. <br />
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Each day, there were times when she was was not present even when she was sitting at the table with us. The light is increasingly gone from her eyes. They are flat and empty. <br />
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She's loosing the fight and we're watching it happen. There's nothing we can do to stop it.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-58988661380723641112017-08-07T12:11:00.000-04:002017-08-07T12:11:09.666-04:00Hidden Pictures My kids and I are in NM for the week to visit Mom and Lyn. This morning, Lyn's speech therapist visited. The goal is to just keep her brain stimulated.<br />
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They played the game called Memory with a reduced set of tiles. Lyn can forget from one turn to another that she's selected and looked at a card before. <br />
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The therapist would show Lyn a series of three or four cards, asking her to repeat the objects back. Lyn could remember one or two of them but needed a prompt to identify the third or fourth item.<br />
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The most challenging exercise was the hidden picture page from a Highlights magazine. The key of images to find was immediately beside the picture. Lyn found a couple of the objects on her own and others were not identifiable to her. For example, there was a bowl with a bunch of hexagonal nuts filling it. In the center of the nets was a star which matched the key. Lyn insisted they were not a match. When I asked what was different between the stars, she said she didn't know while she pointed to some shading marks below the star in the bowl. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-20654259356869652702017-08-03T01:00:00.000-04:002017-08-03T01:00:43.965-04:00Finding CommonalityDon't you love it when you find commonality with another person? Perhaps you're wearing a shirt declaring your love for a particular band or television show and someone calls it out to say "me too!" Perhaps, someone makes a seemingly off-hand comment and you're able to finish the quote because you know it. (Fair warning: If you ever say "But I'm not dead yet!" around me, I will answer with "Come on! Do us a favor!") <br />
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We all look for those shared interests or experiences because it allows us to relate to each other. Lyn looks for those moments too. Yesterday, she found one.<br />
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She and her care provider stopped at a local fast food store to get a bite to eat. While eating, three girls nearby started yelling at each other. It escalated and two walked out. The third remained at the table, talking on the phone. One of the girls returned and stood staring at the girl on the phone. She then threw a coke at phone girl. Both then left and an employee hurried over to check on Lyn because she was in direct line of fire. The soda missed her.<br />
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Lyn was so excited about the argument and how close it was to her. She wanted Mom to call Uncle T because he had witnessed two women in a physical fight at the grocery store earlier in the week. She said that she now has something in common with him. Apparently, watching bull riding isn't enough of a common experience.<br />
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<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-46715801428544579282017-07-31T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-31T01:00:23.952-04:00Annual VisitNext week, the kids and I will be visiting Mom and Lyn. Lyn is checking the calendar daily and having Mom confirm the number of days left before our arrival. She's very excited. <br />
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She wants us to make a list of activities we'll do together. She denies that there is a list that's already written even though we assure her it is on the fridge. She wants us to make a plan and doesn't recall that we have. <br />
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In our conversation this weekend, Mom had to remind Lyn of the details like who will stay with her while Mom picks us up at the airport. Lyn assumes we'll go bowling. She's right. We'll do something small each day.<br />
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My kids may be bored but their aunt has asked for things to be low key. She made it clear that she doesn't want them running around or being loud. They're old enough to understand but I may need to take them to a movie one night after Lyn's done for the day.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-27236315890481135422017-07-27T08:04:00.001-04:002017-07-27T08:04:50.225-04:00The Nose KnowsHave you heard of a <a href="https://scentevidencek9.com/about/">scent preservation kit</a>? I just learned about them. They're a kit with gauze and a sterile container which allows you to capture the scent of a person and store it for up to seven years. If the person who has had their scent captured, goes missing, the uncontaminated scent can be provided to the rescue dogs, allowing them to focus on the person's scent without other environmental smells getting in the way such as scented laundry detergent or another person's scent. <br />
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A scent preservation kit played a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40740503">significant role in helping locate a lost woman</a> who has dementia this week. The time to locating her was greatly reduced. An identifying medical bracelet will help confirm you have the right person, but it won't lead assistance to you the way scent will.<br />
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What a great idea! If you're caring for an individual with dementia who is prone to wandering, perhaps this needs to be added to your resource set. The cost for one kit is minimal (about $20 US). <br />
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Excuse me while I go place an order. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-7404275626323290892017-07-26T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-26T01:00:04.492-04:00Prevention UpdateOne of the great questions about Alzheimer's is "How do we prevent it?" <div>
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To date, we don't have a vaccine and we don't know the full mechanism which triggers Alzheimer's to activate in one person and not in another. As a result, we don't have a specific set of things that can be done to allow us to avoid the disease. However, there are a number of things we can do that can help.</div>
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<ul>
<li>Maintain a heart healthy diet and weight</li>
<li>Exercise physically</li>
<li>Exercise mentally</li>
<li>Socialize</li>
<li>Manage your blood pressure</li>
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They all sound pretty simple but may require more effort for some people than for others. I don't know about you, but motivation and a lack therein are a common problem for me. But, I'm back on that wagon to exercise more and eat a healthier diet.</div>
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Now, when a vaccine is developed to prevent Alzheimer's, you better believe I will get that inoculation.</div>
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You're welcome to join me in my attempts to stave off Alzheimer's when I'm older.</div>
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Additional Information:</div>
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<a href="http://journals.lww.com/neurotodayonline/Fulltext/2017/07200/NAS_Report__Evidence__Encouraging__but.3.aspx">NAS Report: Evidence 'Encouraging' but Inconclusive for Preventing Dementia</a></div>
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<a href="http://brainblogger.com/2017/07/14/prevention-is-the-best-medicine-for-dementia/">Prevention is the Best Medicine for Dementia</a></div>
LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-75073968239175243042017-07-20T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-20T01:00:00.157-04:00InterviewedLyn was interviewed for a column on The Caregiver's Voice. Check it out! <br />
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<a href="http://thecaregiversvoice.com/voices-with-dementia/lyn-purser-dementia-be-damned/">Voices with Dementia</a>LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-30737642237476875192017-07-18T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-18T01:00:00.819-04:00Storytelling as an Aid to a CaregiverI encourage you to listen to this episode of 1A on "<a href="http://wamu.org/story/17/07/13/how-storytelling-can-improve-the-care-of-people-with-alzheimers/">How Storytelling Can Improve the Care of People with Alzheimer's</a>." It is very interesting.<br />
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1A is the new show produced by my local NPR station WAMU and it fills the spot once held by The Diane Rehm Show. 1A is an in-depth conversational exploration of a topic of concern in America. Thursday's topic was Alzheimer's and the host, Joshua Johnson, led with a shorter conversation on "<a href="http://wamu.org/story/17/07/13/women-and-african-americans-are-more-likely-to-develop-alzheimers-and-dementia-why/">Women and African Americans Are More Likely To Develop Alzheimer's and Dementia - Why?</a>"<br />
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My husband called me at work to let me know of Thursday's topics. 1A usually airs when I am in meetings but I was able to catch the show. I hope you find these of interest as well.LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-14288552211349545572017-07-17T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-17T01:00:26.428-04:00Floating MemoriesSometimes, Lyn's brain allows memories to float to the surface which leave us wondering. Did she recall the event itself? Is she, instead, remembering hearing about the event?<br />
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This week, Lyn shared a memory with a visitor that she was once tied to a tree when the family was having a picnic by a river. <br />
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She was right. <br />
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The incident happened in 1973. Lyn was 2 1/2 years old and had an unhealthy obsession with water. Mom was heavily pregnant with me and literally could not get up and chase after Lyn if she decided to bolt for the river. She did attempt it multiple times and Mom ended up tethering her to the tree to keep her safe. The tether was long and gave her room to play but not long enough to let her reach the water.<br />
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Later in the week, Lyn recalled going up in a hot air balloon which was tethered to the ground. Mom could only recall a particular day in 1978 in which that event occurred. It's possible that Lyn was recalling that day. I know I still do. <br />
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Lyn has been in several hot air balloons which have been tethered, allowing the balloon to rise a bit before coming straight back down. When we lived in a community called Del Ray, the center of the community had large lawn areas and balloons would frequently land there. While waiting for their ground crews, the balloons would tether and give neighborhood kids rides. So, Lyn could have been remembering any one of those events but the last time would have happened in 1989.<br />
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It's amazing to me what surfaces from her mind from time to time.<br />
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<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-5690182203648458252017-07-15T20:10:00.000-04:002017-07-15T20:10:14.452-04:00BlockedA quick note about reader comments.<br />
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Reader comments are welcome. I love when you tell me your tales or commiserate with us on a recent change. I love when you make a suggestion, encouraging us to consider things differently, pointing us to a new resource, or a different approach to try.<br />
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Now, I recognize that welcoming your suggestions means that we sometimes receive suggestions to try non-FDA approved treatments. I have received suggestions to start giving Lyn coconut oil or herbal infusions or take her to see a particular "healer" who can cure people of Alzheimer's. I will always look into a person's honest or well-intentioned suggestion. I will weigh the pros and cons of such a regimen. If it has merit, we will approach Lyn's physician and get her to weigh in on it. However, I've been reading about Alzheimer's disease, its progression and the current research into it for over 5 years now. I'm pretty well informed about the current state of Alzheimer's treatment and prevention and can quickly identify a load of hooey when it's sent my way.<br />
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Normally, when I see a comment where the author claims to have been cured by an herbal remedy known only by a single guy, I quite delete the comment and move on. Today, I've had over a dozen such comments posted by a single person. All have been deleted and the profile has been blocked. I've never blocked a profile from DBD before today but felt it was necessary. Comments were scattered fairly randomly through the blog and all claimed exactly the same thing.<br />
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I get notified of every comment posted here. Comments you submit on posts older than 7 days not only notify me but are set to be moderated. <br />
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Here's the thing, folks; my blog is not your outlet to shill your snake oil. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-55938134648513523002017-07-11T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-11T01:00:40.036-04:00iPad ConundrumLyn earned her iPad recently. It has been set up for her and she loves it.<br />
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Mom and Lyn's speech therapist are stumped. How could she be adjusting to it so easily? How is she able to learn new things and how to handle the device given the decline in her cognitive abilities?<br />
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I think a couple of things are happening here: <br />
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<li>Lyn's really committed to this device. She planned and saved for it. She's coveted the iPad since we visited last year and brought ours with us. </li>
<li>The iPad is honestly pretty darn intuitive. Apple has spent a lot of time and energy on user experience testing and improvements. Standards have been written and applications which hope to be available in the Apple marketplace have to adhere to these standards.</li>
<li>While some may be intimidated from the initial setup of a new device, Apple has also worked to make this easy. </li>
<li>Once an application such as a game is installed, the user just has to touch the icon or swipe the screen to make things happen. This allows for immediate feedback which reinforces the action just taken.</li>
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I'm glad Lyn's enjoying her new device!</div>
LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-28886579090278445012017-07-10T01:00:00.000-04:002017-07-10T01:00:09.791-04:00Umm... SweetieLyn's community access provider took as well earned vacation and was gone for 10 days. Those days were hard on Lyn and Mom had to ensure some sort of excursion happened each day to help keep Lyn on a more even keel. Lyn's care provider is back and they spent Saturday together. Lyn was delighted.<br />
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They went to breakfast before going bowling. Lyn's scores remain higher than I can manage with a 112 and 128. <br />
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When they were done, Lyn's provider witnessed Lyn walk away from the bowling area, carrying her ball. She asked where Lyn was going and was told she was "going to put it away." She didn't remember that the ball is her personal ball. I believe it even has her name on it.<br />
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When redirected to put the ball into her bag, she did and struggled to put her bowling shoes in the bag as well. One was sticking out of the bag and Lyn became very confused when she tried to zip her bag closed around the shoe. Her care provider had to intervene and redirect her again. <br />
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We'll see if she forgets the ball is hers again. LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-263343216406753941.post-842459907666741722017-06-30T01:00:00.000-04:002017-06-30T01:00:24.271-04:00TwerkingFor the first time in a long time, Lyn wanted to see an episode of the Maury show. It was a paternity episode. When the child's paternity was revealed and the child's mother and her family celebrated their vindication, Lyn started on a rant. She felt their dancing was "unappropriated". <br />
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She was incensed about the twerking, insisting she would never do that. This went on for several minutes before she turned on Mom.<br />
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"Would you do that?!" Mom assured her she wouldn't be unappropriated.<br />
"Do you know HOW to do that?" She was mollified when Mom said she didn't know how to twerk.<br />
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The thought of Mom twerking was just too funny!<br />
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<br />LynsSisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002892491828443217noreply@blogger.com1