Follow Up and Follow Through- Decrease Namenda 1/2

So this is a reminder...no pun intended.  We have discussed taking Peggy off of Namenda for over a year now, and something else seems to always take the forefront.  So, called Dr. Stern...he followed up and today so  02/21/2011 we are decreasing it by half.  Now, I have to monitor her for three weeks...

Articles on Alzhimer's prevention...yeah, yeah, yeah.

"Brisk Walks May Boost Memory in Older Adults"

All these articles are great, but the fact is Peggy walked...alot.  Even when she was in her late 70's and in assisted living...we actually worried about her walking.  She always walked, every day in some way.  Either through golf or tennis, or just walking the dog.  For goodness sake she did YOGA in the 70's!  She'd sit indian style on the shag carpet in her black leotard and panty hose and  do the lion's pose and stick out her tongue just like the lady on channel 11.   We all thought she was crazy!

OMG I just found her on you tube!!!! Lilias Folan

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 Then when she brought home tofu!  We really thought she was loopy!  My mom loved healthy living and didn't smoke or drink (a lot), or swear for that matter.  She was the only person that shopped at the only health food store in Wheaton, Illinois.

So, I love these articles, I do, I'm sure they are good.  We should all walk and eat the right foods.  But Alzheimer's is Alzheimer's and there is no cure.  Not until enough research and money is thrown at this DISEASE, because that's what it is, a disease not a lifestyle or choice.

Love is a Rose....

We went to Sunrise yesterday for Valentine's Day dinner.  It was lovely, just like last year.  Here is a little movie of it.  The girls get dressed up, we get our own dining room and Beverly is here from Milwaukee.  Peggy came in, and she responds to all things lovely.  We all gave her big hugs and kisses, she smiled. Then Sunny handed her a rose....and she ate it.

It's okay to laugh.  We did.   Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/

Lois's Art Blog: Illustration Friday-REVERSE

Lois's Art Blog: Illustration Friday-REVERSE

Blogging

Here is Peggy last month at USC for her Alzheimer's research study.  Here I am on the internet. 

As I was walking in the other night to see her, I began thinking about all the stuff I hadn't "updated" on the blog.  Peggy Lu's visit, the cherry pie my girlfriend gave me, the girls, my girls, my precious little girls and all the wonderful things they do and say.   Of course, I got "side" tracked as you can see by my previous post. 

 Why do I do it?  I started this blog to give people back home updates on how she is doing out here in California.  But this blog, has become bigger than that.  I want to raise awareness of this personality robbing disease.  

 The look in her eyes when I put her to bed yesterday made me feel her.  I'm ususally just trying to "manage" her.   She pulled my hair, and looked at me, like I was hers.  It was brief, it was beautiful, it was quiet. 

People say that it effects the family more that the patient, I disagree.  In that look she gave me, I felt her loss.  She is here, but not.  Imagine if it were you. I thought of my girls looking at me, and me trying to look out and reach for them, but couldn't.

Participating in research studies.

I don't want this to happen to other people.  I still know the power of all the good attitude and positive talk and the acceptance of Peggy.  But the plain fact is that her brain doesn't work anymore.  She can't take care of herself, and doesn't know up from down or how to get her body there. 

Please share this blog, tweet it, follow it, whatever.  Let's make this research really count.

Thanks.
Lois

What does THIS mean?

Why is she so crookedy?  I went over last night on my way to my writing group to see how her cold was,and to give her some nighttime medicine...and this is how I found her.  Why is she so leaned over and sideways?  I'd try to push her up and she would go back over.  She didn't even know she was sideways.  Everything else pretty normal, well, normal in our world which is actually the complete opposite of normal.  I mean blood pressure, vital signs are normal.  Yet, she can't walk or hold herself up.  Started after breakfast yesterday.  Taking her to the Doc today.