Thanks

to all of you that have sent emails to me lately, wondering about my whereabouts on this blog. Sorry I haven't written -- I'm here. Just having a problem getting my thoughts in order and typing them out. I seem to have a problem lately with getting my thoughts organized and out whether they are in written or verbal form. I went to the neurologist last week and he told me that he thought that I had gotten a little worse in my "delayed speech pattern". Which basically meant that I was having a hard time getting my words out. I told him I thought so too, but then he looked at me and said, "you know, there isn't anything I can do for you". Which although I know that is true, it's hard to hear sometimes.

It's frustrating for me when I can have whole conversations in my head that I want to have with someone, but I can't get the words out.

My husband has been gone for about a week. He's home today. I know I have said it before, that when he is away and I am home alone, it is so much easier on me. He knows this too so I'm not saying anything out of line. I am amazed at how much easier it is -- not from the physical things I usually do like cleaning, cooking and dishes, but mentally. I find that I can stay up longer at night because I'm not as mentally tired from having someone around all the time. And I get much more stressed when my husband is around, not sure what that is all about, but I would probably be stressed with anyone around --that isn't aimed at him! My husband doesn't talk much, but he is a pacer -- he paces all over the house during the day. I'll be in one room trying to "do my own thing" and he will come in there many many times during his pacing. Each time it interrupts what I am doing and although he says he doesn't want anything, it's still an interruption in my brain. It's amazing how these little things will get to me. And, of course, the noise is an issue -- which it gets worse and worse. I think I might have had the television set on a total of about 5 or 6 hours during the entire time he was gone. Counter that with the almost non-stop television set being on when he is home, it sure makes a difference. He is getting better about wearing earphones with the televsion set, but it is still bothersome. A friend of mine with AD, just had some custom made ear plugs made that he says blocks out all the noise except for conversations. He says he can ride in the car with his wife with the radio on and not hear the radio but he can hear her when she talks. I might look into that. We have finished converting my son's old bedroom into a "quiet room" for me and it has certainly been a great place for me to go to achieve some peach and quiet.

On another note, my friend Carol and I went to Macon last week to an Alzheimer's fundraiser with the band Diamond Rio. It was lots of fun to be away together and the concert was really nice. Thanks Carol -- for being my chaueffer and most of all my friend for all these years -- Sainthood might be up there for you too! Carol will certainly understand this.

The Principle of the Thing

They always say - it's not how old you look, but how young you feel, right? Well, how come it aggravates me to no end, that when I go grocery shopping on Wednesdays, they always give me the senior citizen discount, when it doesn't apply to me!!!! It's just the principle of the thing.

Sorry for not posting lately. I've been kind of down in the dumps and haven't really felt like writing. And, the southern pollen has been getting to me so I haven't fell that well either. We are making a few adjustments around the house and my husband has been painting -- he doesn't like me helping so I can't say that I have contributed alot. But, we'll soon be able to post photos and then my son can see what we have done to his room!

On another sad note, some family friends had a tragedy in their family last night. Their 28 year old son (who is autistic) shot his two sisters and his mother yesterday, fatally wounding one sister who had just given birth to a baby girl a week ago. It is so tragic. Please pray for them.

Here are some photos of my cards and some scrapbook pages for the women's basketball team. I sell my cards and all the proceeds go to our Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk. These are just a few examples, I do all sorts and take requests!!

I know I haven't posted in quite awhile. I don't have any excuses really -- just been busy doing spring cleaning and trying to clean and organize my crafting area in my house. That takes so long. My "therapy" for lack of a better word is scrapbooking and making cards. I scrap a book for one of the UGA women's basketball players, and since the season is just ending there is a lot of catching up to do to get the book ready to give my player, Christy Marshall. Christy is a senior and unfortunately due to an ACL injury was not able to play her senior year, but I still did a scrapbook and hopefully, in the years to come she will enjoy it. I also had lots of Easter cards to make -- like I said -- it's therapy. I hope to post some photos of some of the pages I have done shortly.

We had a nice Easter -- friends came over for dinner. Everyone brought something so there wasn't much for me to do.

We have already gotten summer weather here -- it has been in the high 80's the last couple of days -- suppose to be more "normal" by weeks end.

Lots of Alzheimer's stuff going on but will need to save that for another post. Just didn't realize how long it had been since I wrote something, so I wanted to at least add a few words today.

Back from DC

Well, I'm back -- tired but back. The trip was really good -- weather was great and we had a good group from Georgia that went. In all we had 8 people from several congressional districts with us. Our goal was to go to Capitol Hill and ask our leigslatures for increased money for research, a coordinated plan to deal with Alzheimer's nationwide and a better way to improve detection, diagnosis and care planning. Rep. David Scott had already signed on for these things and when we returned we got word that Sen. Chambliss had signed on to the bill representing a coordinated plan to deal with Alzheimer's. We met with Representative John Lewis and he was the most gracious man to us. What a civil rights pioneer he has been and it was a pleasure to meet him. He is also very supportive of what the Alzheimer's Association is doing and gives us his complete support.

I'll post some more photos next week -- I'm collecting them from other members that went with us. Thanks to Ginny and Kathy in the state office for setting up interviews and to the national office for putting this together.

I have posted one photo on top though. This photo was taken from Rep. Lewis' office -- rather breathtaking isn't it? The reason I am posting it is that to the right (the round corner building) is the building my son works in. I was going to walk from the Capitol over to meet him for lunch and to meet the judge he works for. I've mentioned the fact before that I have a problem crossing the street -- there are too many visual signals that confuse me. But, I didn't really think much about it when going to see Alan. I walked about 10 minutes from the Capitol and got down to the intersection you see in the photo near that building and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't cross the street. There were a few people milling around but they weren't much help. I thought about calling Alan but he said that he would come down to meet me so I didn't have to go through security twice. So, I stood on the sidewalk and waited for him. He finally emerged from the office building and started walking across the street toward me so I walked toward him. I feel so stupid not being able to do this, but it's just one of those quirky things. I wouldn't have attempted to do that if I knew that he wasn't going to be on the other end. I travelled alone to Washington DC but Alan and Jennifer picked me up at the airport and got me to the hotel just fine.

I got to meet many folks that I have been corresponding through email or through this blog at the conference. That is always great to be able to put a face to an email address.

Diane -- you asked about a scholarship -- I did get a scholarship from national and our state office to attend. I wouldn't have gone without it.

I will write more about the conference and add some more photos next week. Thanks for reading.

Political Action Summit

I'm in DC for the Alzheimer's Political Action Summit. Last night we had a candlelight vigil and David Hyde Pierce was there. We had 11,000 people also join us at the Lincoln Memorial on line through the virtual candlelight vigil as well. Alan and Jennifer joined us and Jennifer shot this group shot and then someone got a shot of them with the Washington Monument behind them. Today we had a luncheon that honored Social Security Commissioner Astrue for his work on adding Early On Set Alzheimer's to the Compassionate Care Allowance. It's been a good meeting so far -- we are off to Capitol Hill for talks with our legislatures tomorrow,

Busy Time

It's been a busy time -- we just returned from Florida, and I'm headed to Atlanta for a few days and then off to DC to the Political Action Summit the Alzheimer's Association is having. I'm doing it pretty much alone (traveling alone) but since my wonderful son in Washington DC I know he will look out for me. I need to remember to pace myself though as I get so tired so quickly.

I'm anxious to get to DC to see many of my Alzheimer's friends -- I "talk" to them a lot over email but it will be nice to see everyone and see how they are doing. And, the staff is so great and accommodating that it will be nice to see them as well. Our state delegation will be heading to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to see our legislators and to ask for more money for research. There is so much more to be done.

I'll try to post while I'm away.

Florida

We just returned from a few days in Florida -- where it was nice and warm -- in the low 80's. We returned and this morning it was 24 degrees outside!

We first went to Gainesville where we saw our beloved Lady Bulldogs lost to the University of Florida in basketball. A disappointing loss to say the least.

Then we headed about four hours south and went to Ft. Myers. My first cousin Laura and Ken live there six months out of the year (the other six months in Wisconsin). I hadn't seen them for many years and we decided that since we were that far south we would go the extra miles and visit. We had a great time and I want to thank them so much for showing us around and being so gracious with their time. A few photos are posted on top -- Ralph and I by a banyon tree on the grounds of Thomas Edison's estate in Ft. Myers along with a few other photos from there. We also went out to Captiva Island and Sannibel Island. The homes there were gorgeous -- it kind of reminded me of a cross between Martha's Vineyard and Hilton Head!

Several things I saw there that I had never seen were a cinnamon tree and an allspice tree. I guess I never knew those spices grew on a tree -- had never really given it much thought but was surprised by them.

Thanks again to Ken and Laura for our royal treatment!

Another thing, I went to Florida with only one of my two Alzheimer's medications -- I forgot them -- imagine that. I did ok since it was only a couple of days, but I'm glad I wasn't alone!

I spoke last night to a really nice group of women at the local Pilot Club. The work with a program called Project Lifesaver International. Project Lifesaver International helps provide rapid response to save lives and reduce potential for serious injury for adults and children who wander due to Alzheimer's, Autism, Down Syndrome, dementia and other related disorders. For more information you can go to www.projectlifesaver.org. This program is provided nationwide. I'd like to thank the ladies there for welcoming me to their meeting last night.

In a few weeks I'll be going to Washington DC for the Alzheimer's Action Summit Advocacy Forum. If any of you that read this blog are going, please let me know as I would love to meet you. The conference is designed for advocates across the nation to meet with their national legislators. For more information you can go to www.alz.org/summit/forum_about.asp