2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

I was pretty disappointed in my lack of posts at the end of the year. I really wanted to do better. I would wake up in the middle of the night with the best ideas, plan it all out in my head and by morning, it was gone. I'm sure you're saying, why didn't you get up and write it down. I've tried that before, and when I do, I can't go back to sleep. So, I am giving up ideas for sleep is what it sounds like! Since my sleep is often given up to hot flashes (or "power surges" as one friend calls it) I don't like to give up much more!

I was overwhelmed with our trip to Australia, and quite frankly it took a lot to get back to normal after that trip. It pretty much took the wind out of my sails if you will. But, it was worth every minute -- it just came at a bad time of the year, but it was the only time we could go and did I mention IT WAS WORTH IT?

I don't usually do the traditional resolution thing at the new year. Why should you have to wait for a new year to make a change? If you need to make a change, you need to make a change. I'm not sure I'm up to "changing" things this year, that probably isn't within my power -- or at least the things I would like to change are not. But, I need to be better about some things. ....but don't we all.

I want to be a better friend. I don't want to keep saying "we shouldn't wait so long to get together" -- I just need to make it happen. A few of my friends have kind of gone by the wayside this past year. That saddens me some. I wonder why that is. Do our friendships run in cycles? Do we just not work hard enough at it? Is it maybe the friendship wasn't meant to be? Has the friendship run its course? Am I to blame? I get the feeling people don't want to be around me as much anymore. That's kind of hard to come to terms with but what bothers me more is not knowing. If those that choose not to be friends any longer would just admit it or bring it to a close, rather than leaving that faint hint of welcome in their voice it would be so much better. I know that is hard to do, but I'd rather just know why it is the friendship has ended. We have invested a lot of time over the years and to just let something go without paying attention to it is sad. I don't know what else to say about that.

Another thing I want to work on is to be better to myself. I need to pace myself better. I need to let things go more easily. It's hard to admit you can't do something that you could do all your life -- I just need to let go! I'd like to do more public speaking on behalf of Azlheimer's so if there is a group you think I could talk to -- let me know.

I'm grateful for a lot last year. My family's health has stayed about the same (not gotten worse thankfully), there have been many new babies born to bring a smile to my face, my son and daughter-in-law have moved "back home", I got a new knee and lots of help from friends when I was going through that ordeal. I read Dr. Mary Cail's book, The All-Weather Friend’s Guide to Alzheimer’s Disease and everyone dealing with someone with Alzheimer's should read it. I've stayed active on Alzheimer's Association's boards. Our Walk to End Alzheimer's reached its targeted goal of $75,000 raised. And, of course, the aforementioned "trip".

The bucket list got a little shorter this year, but I'm thinking of adding more things to it. There really can be no end to your bucket list if you really think about it -- there is always something you want to do. I've been very fortunate all in all. I'm still pretty active physically even though not as much mentally -- but I'm hanging in there.

Thanks for all your support. I'm going to try to be better about blogging in this new year.

Merry Chirstmas

Carter and Ruby meet for the first time.

Katie, Chris, Carter, Melissa, Josh, Ruby, me and Alan

Yesterday -- I was able to catch up with some of my favorite people.......my friend Josh and his wife Melissa and Chris and his wife Katie. If you have been following this blog you will know about my friendship with Josh and Chris. Well, this year, they both had an addition to their families. Chris and Katie welcomed son Carter on August 20 and Josh and Melissa welcome daughter Ruby on September 10th. Chris and Katie live in Southern Florida so yesterday was the first time we have been able to meet Carter. The photo above shows all of us together. It was fun having everhone together -- they are extended family to me and I am so grateful to them continuing to stay in touch with me and being apart of their lives.

I'm here

I know I haven't posted in awhile.....but I've been in Illinois visiting my family......but most of all, hanging out with my great niece and nephews.

This is Henry
This is Dekoda

And this is Oliver

Aren't they adorable?

Photos from Thanksgiving

Jennifer and Alan were kind enough to invite us for dinner with Jen's parents. Nice to be a guest for a change! Thanks Alan and Jennifer!

Relaxing after Thanksgiving Dinner

Jen and her mom enjoying the food.

Alan after dinner

Alan and I sharing the swing at the park behind their apartment after dinner.

I love to swing -- although only kids were suppose to be on the swings I couldn't resist!

If I hadn't had a dress on I would have been in the middle of this!

Of course, everyone cleaned their plate!

Lots of good food made by Jen and Alan

Going through our Australian scrapbook with Jennifer's parents.

Alan found this wine in Atlanta -- from Australia -- and the little island where we saw the "Little Penguins".

Jen didn't have to call us twice to the dinner table!

Carving the turkey she made for us!

Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We can all be grateful for so many things. I'm most grateful for friends and family. Today, I met a new friend. I've known other members of her family for a long time, but never got to actually meet her until today. What a lovely young woman she is. So beautiful, so well spoken, so loving and so down to earth. What a refreshing friend to meet. I'm thankful for that. When you think about it, you don't really meet that many people that truly become friends -- usually just someone you meet in passing. It's a treasure to find a "new friend".

We had a nice quiet Thanksgiving with son and daughter-in-law and her parents in Atlanta yesterday. Jennifer and Alan did most of the cooking and it was nice to sit back and be pampered a bit. I'm glad they are closer to home now and that we can enjoy their company more often.

My friend Ruby

came to visit me today.

Series about Alzheimer's

In today's edition of the Atlanta Journal Consitution, the first articles of several about Alzheimer's is published. The link is here http://www.ajc.com/health/slow-descent-into-the-1224104.html. There will be more articles in the weeks to come. Thought you might want to take a look.

The All Weather Friend's Guide to Alzheimer's Disease

is a book you must get if you are a friend or caregiver to someone with Alzheimer's. This book is a real "hands on" book in helping you to communicate with those that have the disease. Dr. Mary Cail is the author and she has certainly done her research on this book.

After I was first diagnosed people didn't know how to talk to me. They thought (and some still do) that I couldn't think for myself, that I couldn't understand them and they would talk around me, not to me. They would (and some still do) say --"You look great -- you don't have Alzheimer's", or "we all forget things every now and then I'm sure you're fine". They say things like this because they don't know what else to say. Dr. Cail helps you out with this. She gives you avenues to go down with those with the disease -- in all stages of the disease, not just early on-set.

Some of the stories in the book are sad, but you need to read them. It will help you understand the disease from the perspective of someone who has Alzheimer's.

In terms of full disclosure, I must tell you that she has used some things from this blog in her book, but that isn't why you should buy it. She deals with the "elephant in the room" kinds of things that happen on a regular basis to us that have the disease. No one wants to broach the subject but she helps you through this. She shows that we don't have to be "alone" in our disease if our friends and family know how to deal with it. Most Alzheimer's patients and family will tell you that after the diagnosis, friends pull away. You don't get those invitations to go out, you don't get company very often. Dr. Cail tells you how to feel comfortable in those situations.

Some of my friends point blank asked me after my diagnosis -- what should I say to you if I see you and you don't recognize me? I was grateful for the question, because they cared enough to want to know the answer. Today, sometimes I see people I know out shopping and they avoid me -- I don't know if they avoid me because they didn't see me or if they just don't know what to say. I know it's hard. but friends make the effort and this book helps.

Dr. Cail's book can be found on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+All-Weather+Friend%27s+Guide+to+Alzheimer%27s+Disease&x=0&y=0

I can't do the book justice here, but if you get the book, you'll be glad you did. And, share it with your friends -- it will help them understand Alzheimer's so much more.

I'm back

Finally getting to the computer to write a few things. We are back, trying to get over the jet lag and also colds we caught on the trip. The trip was great -- guess I really don't need to say that to those that have been to Australia and seen how beautiful it is. I don't remember a lot of what we did, but hopefully going through photos will help me. My daughter-in-law took a lot of photos and they are really great. My husband is going through them now, and I hope to spend some time trying to chronicle our time there. It was a tough trip, but I'm so glad I went. I know it probably wasn't easy traveling with me, but my family didn't let on if it was. When I got tired, Jen and Alan did get to go out on their own and I don't think I held them back too much -- I appreciate everyone's patience with me.

Up close and personal

No explanation needed.