Alzheimer's is the cruelest thing ever...having a hard time
MonicaM43
11 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (23)
marie_ndcal
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agomaifleur01
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRelated Discussions
The cruelest month in a cruel climate
Comments (8)Selective vision is a good skill to have, Marianne -- it's always something. And everyone probably grows roses that won't survive the historical, but rare, extremes of where they live. Here, all it would take is a winter with temps going into the Farenheit teens, as it periodically does, and I know there are roses of mine that are likely to be lost or very damaged. I try not to think of that. A winter without snow is the truest and worst test of hardiness. In western Massachusetts, in winters with little snow the mortality would definitely be worse. On the other hand, if the snow laid deep all winter, the plants were protected, but the voles would take advantage of added cover and access to strip every bit of bark and roots beneath the snow line sometimes. I still remember the spring after one winter of deep snow and feeling pleased to see the perennials and roses emerging from the snow one day. The next day, every plant in 15' of one border was totally wilted and, upon investigation, none of them had roots -- all eaten. The only happy note was that a patch of bracken fern I had been fighting for years suffered the same fate that winter and never returned....See MoreApril is the Cruelest Month
Comments (23)This morning, all hell broke loose in Fargo. Red River is over 22 ft and expected to get to a unprecedented 43 ft level by this weekend. Even if the rains and snow stop, the river levels will continue to rise for several days. The rising waters are putting tremendous pressure on the sandbag levees and these dikes are leaking and breaking. Helicopters are trying to get people out. Thank you Canadians for your help! The Weather Bureau stated this morning that there are no records dating back to the first white settlers in NB for anything like this! One official said this morning that the only humans who might ever have seen anything like this would have to have been the Native Americans who were there long before white men came because there are no records for anything like this. Although massive flooding is not unusual in itself, the scale of it this time is beyond any historical records! As an Environmentalist I must say that Global Warming is a fact - it is not a political device. We tree-hugging-hippie-environmentalists made these predictions back in the 70s when too few heeded our warnings. We organized things like Earth Day to try to make people everywhere aware and get them to make changes that could something to stop it. The three R's were not just a catchy slogan - we were serious! It wasn't just an excuse for having fun, planting a few trees and forgetting it the rest of the year. We created many organizations to get people on board. I am a proud 30+ yr. member of several of them. I am a life-long active environmentalist, but my DHM took it further and became a professional. His specific area is Management Control in Chemical Environmental Science and emissions control - how that effects the air, water and soil and controlling these emission pollutants. He knows his sh*t! So, these climate changes are now serious warnings. It was preventable back in the 70s...No one took seriously what Pres. Carter tried to do back then...and dismissed most of his so-called wacky efforts, but now it is a serious threat! (Does anyone else recall when the Great Lakes were dead- full of pollution and dead fish along the shores? The lakes were closed to public access. Remember when the oceans were so polluted that it was life threatening - beaches were closed! Pres. Carter helped reverse much of that.) Hind sight is 20/20, as they say. Thank God for former Vice-President Gore who has helped us by using his notoriety and own resources to renew public awareness to Global Warming - now known as Global Climate Change. Massive flooding and massive drought are some of the first results. Check it out!! The snow packs, permafrost (in Canada) and glaciers are melting rapidly, flooding the oceans with fresh water. The Polar Ice Caps, particularly on the north pole, are disappearing at an alarming rate, and without them to deflect the sun's bad radiation and heat from the earth, life as we have known it on Earth WILL change drastically. When the ocean currents shut down from the diluted salinity an ice age will occur. It is a fact. It has happened before over and over, but the difference is that this time, mankind has spiked the change to happen within a few decades instead of a few thousand years. Methane gas is the foremost cause of global warming, but unfortunately much more has been made about Carbon Emissions, which is absolutely the other cause. Both need more attention. One thing you never hear about on TV or in newsprint is that increased, even massive scale of famine, pestilence & disease will also occur. When, only God knows, but we do know that it will occur. Take care all of you in affected areas. Kansas is being NAILED, even as I write this, by the late SNOW STORM. Highways are closed or closing down and it is moving into Oklahoma and Texas with bright red alerts. Not a good time to be out on the highways! I am sure airlines will be shut down, if not already, they will be. ~Annie...See MoreAlzheimer's is SO difficult!!
Comments (13)I agree that sometimes moving to an AD Facility is a symptom of a downturn and not the cause. IMO, though, it can also be a cause. Many people move to an AD facility when theyÂre already experiencing a downturn, and sometimes major change in their lives can cause a downturn. ThereÂs no way to know for sure. My dad landed in the ICU for a couple of weeks, transitioned to a full-blown nursing home for a couple of months, then moved into an assisted living facility. He experienced a major downturn. Any or all of these things could have contributed. But I do know this: he felt very angry and betrayed by having to give up his old life, his car, his dog and his freedom. He resented the transition from independent adult to child. This kind of stress can, and often does, cause a decline in AlzheimerÂs patients. When my father moves to the dementia ward, he will lose his last bit of freedom, which is so very important to him. I anticipate another decline. But heÂs in a decline right now, and a lot of the fight has gone out of him lately. The move may not impact him much. I hear yÂall about the whole "my grandmother had AlzheimerÂs" thing. We always think of our grandparents as elderly, but can remember our parents as the young, confident rulers of our universe they once were. A spouseÂs illness is a whole other level entirely. ThereÂs also an enormous difference between being a full-time caregiver, a part-time caregiver like I am, and a visitor (which is what most people luckily are). Although most of my friends have been extremely supportive and sympathetic, they cannot truly empathize. Most people left the room with their grandparent needed a fresh diaper and turn pale at the mere mention of a colostomy bag. Emotional baggage aside, itÂs very different being responsible for your loved one. WeÂre the ones who make medical and legal decisions on their behalf, get phone calls from the hospital, and manage their finances. ThatÂs why IÂm so deeply appreciative of the people on this forum. YÂall donÂt just say you understand, you really, truly get it....See Moreis this dementia or alzheimer's???
Comments (11)Yeah, there's something goin' on. As I've understood it, the only way a firm diagnosis of Alzhiemer's can be made is with necropsy... only then can the heavy placques in the brain be discerned. But I could be misremembering. Mum suffered a stroke in '04 and it was in the right parietal lobe of her brain; affecting short term memory and critical decison making. As it was explained to me, she is the perfect example of LEAPING before LOOKING. She often failed to THINK about a course of action. Now, her dementia has progressed to a point where she no longer really attempts a lot of things on her own. She never knows what day it is. She doesn't know what year it is. But she knows her birthdate, can name her (now deceased) siblings and all her immediate family. She can't always name my brother... and is often confused about who, exactly, he is... confuses him with my deceased father or my husband frequently. She can't name the cats in the house or the dog, but she identifies them by their individual physical characteristics. She has no clue about money any more, either! She reacts the same way at the doctor's office, too. You need to establish medical and legal POA, asap. And you need to esptablish a routine for her. You do the same things at the same time everyday and you ask questions that require her to THINK and guide her to the result you want to see. For instance: every morning I go down to Mum's room, turn on the lights and open the draperies. I wake her up with, "Good morning! it's time to get up". Then I sit in the chair and allow her to "come to". Next, I direct her to the written instructions for unhooking her urostomy from the night collection jug. I prompt her and she usually does it flawlessly. Then I clean and disinfect it. Then we make her bed together, I lay out her clothes for her, and prompt her to wash her hands, face, and fix her hair. And get dressed. I leave her alone to do those things. If I don't hear her coming to the stairs in 20 minutes I go check. Then she has breakfast. We do it the same way, every day. Drives me NUTS, but it works for her and I know the military regimen helps keep her safe. I put the kibosh on the nastiness early. SORRY! I won't live that way... Zoloft has spared me the commission of a felony, lol. Speak to her doctor about depression... very common in the elderly. Mum was 84 lbs. when she came to live with me... but, "Me? DEPRESSED? certainly not! I've never been depressed in my life!". yeah, RIGHT (she weighs 125-130 now). :)...See MoreMonicaM43
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agomoonie_57 (8 NC)
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agomoonie_57 (8 NC)
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMonicaM43
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agotripletmom83
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agosushipup1
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agotripletmom83
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoRusty
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agokittiemom
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMonicaM43
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoemma
11 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMonicaM43
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agodadoes
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agograndmamary_ga
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomaifleur01
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomxyplx
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
Related Stories
LIFEHave the Kids Left Home? 16 Things to Consider
‘An empty nest is not an empty heart’ and other wisdom for when the household changes
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES5 Things Every Home Should Have
A designer shares his top 5 style rules to take any room from boring to bold
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: Hard Work Pays Off in a DIY Cottage Renovation
First-time homeowners roll up their sleeves and give their midcentury Montreal home an infusion of style and personality
Full StoryEVENTSOn Show: The Greatest Invention of Our Time
An exhibit spotlights remarkable new directions for an object we'd all be hard pressed to live without
Full StoryLANDSCAPE DESIGNIs It Time to Consider Fake Grass?
With more realistic-looking options than ever, synthetic turf can be a boon. Find the benefits and an installation how-to here
Full StoryFURNITURE6 Decades-Old Designs That Look Better Than Ever
After getting a few nips and tucks, some favorites from the ’60s and ’70s have made a stylish comeback
Full StoryCOFFEE WITH AN ARCHITECTWhat My Kids Have Taught Me About Working From Home
Candy and Legos aren't the only things certain small people have brought to my architecture business
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES10 Popular Home Design Trends — Timely or Timeless?
Weigh in on whether these of-the-moment decorating elements will have staying power or become a memory of these times
Full StoryTRANSITIONAL HOMESHouzz Tour: Would-Be House Flipper Falls Hard for a Florida Bungalow
An investment project winds up becoming home for a St. Petersburg, Florida, design enthusiast
Full StoryDECORATING GUIDES8 Ways to Make What You Have Better
You don’t necessarily need a full reset. Try building on the things you already own to create fresh new decor
Full StorySponsored
dreamgarden