As the temperature rises, what will you choose to quench your thirst? There is nothing as important for the brain as keeping it hydrated. Our brains are about 80% water.
If you wait until you feel thirsty to have a drink, you are already dehydrated. It is essential to drink often throughout the day. When it is very warm or when you are perspiring, you need to be particularly careful. Living in Phoenix, this is critical. Many people who move here and do not make it a point to drink enough develop kidney stones. If this is occurring, that means the brain has been severely deprived of its required hydration.
To get the optimum function of the brain, it just has to have enough water. When there's Alzheimer's in the family, this is one area where we need to give our attention.
For good hydration, it's important to have drinks that do not have caffeine. And it's easy to choose drinks that are heavily laden with sugar. Sure, water is the best choice, but it can get monotonous.
I've developed a number of drinks that do not have sugar or caffeine. These have helped me stay fully hydrated and refreshed.
I've always enjoyed the drinks in glass bottles like Snapple or Arizona Ice Tea or Fuze drinks. There's something about that really cold bottle and chilled drink that makes them special.
The problem is that there are not any drinks that I have found in glass bottles that are sweetened with Stevia, the only natural artificial sweetener. It is actually made from the Stevia plant.
So in order to have that cold bottle/chilled drink effect, I save the glass drink bottles and wash in the dishwasher. I wash the caps by hand so they do not rust.
I created this combination as an alternative to water that is not sugar sweetened or artificially sweetened.
I enjoy having the fresh squeezed lemon juice.
When the fresh juice is not readily available, I use unsweetened Kool-Aid lemonade packets.
Black Currant Lemonade
Juice of 2 lemons or 1 packet Kool-Aid lemonade
three droppers of liquid Stevia (available at Sprouts or health food stores)
2 quarts of water
1-2 cups of unsweetened Black Currant juice
(Other juices I use are Just Cranberry, Just Pomegranate, Just Raspberry.
I get my juices at Trader Joes or Sprouts. They have no added sweetener.)
Fill recycled glass drink bottles and refrigerate.
Enjoy a wonderfully chilled, refreshing and healthy beverage!
Showing posts with label Alzheimer's in the family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alzheimer's in the family. Show all posts
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Are you a grandparent taking care of your own parent?
More and more boomers are now grandparents AND are faced with the responsibility for their parents. Demands from both ends of the family spectrum. The sandwich generation is indeed a reality.
58% of the grandparents in the U.S. are boomers.
That's 27 million boomer grandparents.
Boomer grandparents may live close by, but more likely they live at a distance. Instead of the family all going to grandmother's house as in the old days, it's more often the case of grandparents traveling to their families. With long distances to consider, it makes more sense most of the time for the grandparents to be the ones traveling.
And then, it's likely that the boomers' parents may live at a distance as well. That can be a lot of bouncing around trying to keep up with everyone in the family. Working full time either in an employed sense or as a business owner is another huge demand on the boomer grandparent.
Boomer grandmothers may enjoy reading stories written by 27 grandmothers, exploring grandmotherly emotions and experiences.
Barbara Graham: Eye of My Heart: 27 Writers Reveal the Hidden Pleasures and Perils of Being a Grandmother
58% of the grandparents in the U.S. are boomers.
That's 27 million boomer grandparents.
Boomer grandparents may live close by, but more likely they live at a distance. Instead of the family all going to grandmother's house as in the old days, it's more often the case of grandparents traveling to their families. With long distances to consider, it makes more sense most of the time for the grandparents to be the ones traveling.
And then, it's likely that the boomers' parents may live at a distance as well. That can be a lot of bouncing around trying to keep up with everyone in the family. Working full time either in an employed sense or as a business owner is another huge demand on the boomer grandparent.
Boomer grandmothers may enjoy reading stories written by 27 grandmothers, exploring grandmotherly emotions and experiences.
Barbara Graham: Eye of My Heart: 27 Writers Reveal the Hidden Pleasures and Perils of Being a Grandmother
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Video: The Face of Alzheimer's Disease
I found this video to be an interesting look into the lives of individuals dealing with Alzheimer's in their family. Every situation has its unique characteristics and yet there is that common thread of the patient just not being themselves.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Worrying can make it so...
Have you had the feeling that you are not remembering things well anymore? I know I have.
And now there is a study showing that when we worry about aging and losing our memory, we actually do have memory problems.
AND those with more education showed the greatest effect on their performance on memory tests when they are worried. This is probably because those with more education place a higher value on their cognitive processes and therefore are more concerned and perform at a lower level. These were tasks in math and memorization.
For the testing, participants were told they were being tested to see how they did as compared to younger people. This created a psychological "threat" creating the worry state.
In a study at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, psychology professor Tom Hess and his team found that worrying about aging and memory loss can actually become a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
I know when I realized that Mom was having problems and was then diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I found myself not remembering things and overreacted to that, feeling as though I was right there on the path to AD myself. When there's Alzheimer's in the Family, it's really important to be aware of this possibility. With the awareness, it's easier to keep things in perspective as you support your parent in getting needed care.
Check out the article. Very interesting.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/Story?id=7453229&page=1
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Is Your Fitness Supporting You in the Marathon of Caregiving?
Having a parent with Alzheimer's, whether you are doing the care at your own home or visiting and supporting your parent at a facility, the "progression" of the disease can go on for many years. You need to have the physical stamina as well as emotional support to weather the storm of these many years of concern, grief, and even the guilt
... guilt of feeling you are not doing enough, guilt of not being able to do SOMETHING to take your parent out of this situation they would not want to be in, AND the supreme guilt of feeling it would be a blessing for your parent to die. Ouch! We can go back and forth with wanting them to be at peace and then feeling like a terrible child to want their parent dead.
Whew....I feel anxious even talking about that to you.
So, back to the exercise. What can you do to increase your stamina, stimulate your endorphins that contribute to a more positive emotional state, and alleviate your stress?
It depends on the amount of time and freedom you have to take time for physical movement. You can do various exercise routines in your own home. With the multitude of DVD's available for many types of exercise, you can work out when you have a small segment of time. And it's not so important to have a huge amount of time in the exercise mode. What the latest research is showing is that short bursts of strenuous exercise are the most effective way of increasing your cardiovascular system and controlling or releasing weight.
If your schedule allows it, I highly recommend participating in organized workout classes at a physical facility. This gives you some social connection as well as a very energizing environment.
I've made my fitness a high priority the last few years. I've always enjoyed working out, but have amped it up as the stress and grief have been with me since Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
When there's Alzheimer's in the family, there is a cloud hanging over with everyone wondering what will happen next. Will the patient know us the next time we visit? Can we plan a vacation or do we feel as though at any time, we'll need to be with our parent?
I've enjoyed Yoga and Platform Pilates, Exercise Ball classes, and weight machines and the elliptical previously at Bally's... I combined this with Curves for awhile to incorporate a quick, mindless workout that I could fit in easily.
At the beginning of the year, I decided to join 24 Hour Fitness. Had a great deal buying a 2 year membership through Costco. I just happened to see an ad in their online mail and jumped at the opportunity. After joining, I learned that they had a New Member Challenge and signed up for that and looked at how I could earn points. I say I'm not a competitive person, but it seems when there is a challenge I do get engaged!
I saw that if I did 100 workouts in the 6 months, I could earn 2 extra points. In calculating all the points possible, I could see that I could qualify for a BodyBugg, a product by Apex that 24 Hr Fitness offers for sale from $199 - $249 if I earned the total possible points of 24. The BodyBugg allows you to easily keep track of calories burned. You wear it on your arm while working out or all through the day.
AND, I checked my records yesterday and see that I worked out over 100 days in the last four and a half months! I enjoy a variety of workouts from cardio in the water, Yoga, Zumba (great vigorous dance class), Turbo KickBox, the elliptical machine, weight-training machines, and Salsa Dance classes. I also enjoy being outdoors, whether walking around my neighborhood lake or hiking our urban mountains here in Phoenix.
Cross training is the very best way to develop fitness and a healthy Body Mass Index. I make a point of planning a variety of activities each week. One of the keys to staying on schedule is having all the proper clothes and equipment lined up. I use those canvas L.L.Bean bags to have everything ready to go for water work and yoga.
I can't tell you how much this physical exercise has supported me in staying Sane, Healthy, and as a result more Professional! I highly recommend your finding some way of moving your body on a regular basis. You'll survive the marathon of having Alzheimer's in the family and even thrive in the midst of a challenging situation.
... guilt of feeling you are not doing enough, guilt of not being able to do SOMETHING to take your parent out of this situation they would not want to be in, AND the supreme guilt of feeling it would be a blessing for your parent to die. Ouch! We can go back and forth with wanting them to be at peace and then feeling like a terrible child to want their parent dead.
Whew....I feel anxious even talking about that to you.
So, back to the exercise. What can you do to increase your stamina, stimulate your endorphins that contribute to a more positive emotional state, and alleviate your stress?
It depends on the amount of time and freedom you have to take time for physical movement. You can do various exercise routines in your own home. With the multitude of DVD's available for many types of exercise, you can work out when you have a small segment of time. And it's not so important to have a huge amount of time in the exercise mode. What the latest research is showing is that short bursts of strenuous exercise are the most effective way of increasing your cardiovascular system and controlling or releasing weight.
If your schedule allows it, I highly recommend participating in organized workout classes at a physical facility. This gives you some social connection as well as a very energizing environment.
I've made my fitness a high priority the last few years. I've always enjoyed working out, but have amped it up as the stress and grief have been with me since Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
When there's Alzheimer's in the family, there is a cloud hanging over with everyone wondering what will happen next. Will the patient know us the next time we visit? Can we plan a vacation or do we feel as though at any time, we'll need to be with our parent?
I've enjoyed Yoga and Platform Pilates, Exercise Ball classes, and weight machines and the elliptical previously at Bally's... I combined this with Curves for awhile to incorporate a quick, mindless workout that I could fit in easily.
At the beginning of the year, I decided to join 24 Hour Fitness. Had a great deal buying a 2 year membership through Costco. I just happened to see an ad in their online mail and jumped at the opportunity. After joining, I learned that they had a New Member Challenge and signed up for that and looked at how I could earn points. I say I'm not a competitive person, but it seems when there is a challenge I do get engaged!
I saw that if I did 100 workouts in the 6 months, I could earn 2 extra points. In calculating all the points possible, I could see that I could qualify for a BodyBugg, a product by Apex that 24 Hr Fitness offers for sale from $199 - $249 if I earned the total possible points of 24. The BodyBugg allows you to easily keep track of calories burned. You wear it on your arm while working out or all through the day.
AND, I checked my records yesterday and see that I worked out over 100 days in the last four and a half months! I enjoy a variety of workouts from cardio in the water, Yoga, Zumba (great vigorous dance class), Turbo KickBox, the elliptical machine, weight-training machines, and Salsa Dance classes. I also enjoy being outdoors, whether walking around my neighborhood lake or hiking our urban mountains here in Phoenix.
Cross training is the very best way to develop fitness and a healthy Body Mass Index. I make a point of planning a variety of activities each week. One of the keys to staying on schedule is having all the proper clothes and equipment lined up. I use those canvas L.L.Bean bags to have everything ready to go for water work and yoga.
I can't tell you how much this physical exercise has supported me in staying Sane, Healthy, and as a result more Professional! I highly recommend your finding some way of moving your body on a regular basis. You'll survive the marathon of having Alzheimer's in the family and even thrive in the midst of a challenging situation.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Online Marketing Can Be Helpful When Your Parent Has Alzheimer's
Something I've found valuable in helping me get through some difficult times with various family challenges including having a parent with Alzheimer's is going online with as much of my business as possible.
I thought I'd share a fr*ee resource for you to learn more about internet marketing.
4,000 people who signed up for Ali Brown's free teleclass called "Ali's Top 10 Recommendations to Kick-Up Your Revenues This Summer!"
If you weren't there, there's still time for you to download the audio.
(But do it soon, as you only have a few days before the audio is coming down.)
Ali always shares so much valuable information, even on her fr*ee calls! I admire all that she has accomplished and learn so much from her every time she teaches.
Check it out. I'm sure you'll find that you'll learn something!
I thought I'd share a fr*ee resource for you to learn more about internet marketing.
4,000 people who signed up for Ali Brown's free teleclass called "Ali's Top 10 Recommendations to Kick-Up Your Revenues This Summer!"
If you weren't there, there's still time for you to download the audio.
(But do it soon, as you only have a few days before the audio is coming down.)
Ali always shares so much valuable information, even on her fr*ee calls! I admire all that she has accomplished and learn so much from her every time she teaches.
Check it out. I'm sure you'll find that you'll learn something!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Green Smoothie - A Glass of Fresh!
Yes, that is what Oprah called this drink when Dr. Oz prepared it for her on air!
Most mornings I throw together one of these super nutritious, refreshing drinks.
I know that I've gotten my day off to a great start without a lot of preparation.
Ingredients:
2 or more cups of spinach
1 1/2 cups water
about a square inch of fresh ginger, peeled
1 Tablespoon of Flax Oil
2 level scoops of Aria (powdered supplement of blended soy and whey protein)
1/2 scoop of BerrySplash, mixed berry powdered drink mix with Acai Berry
1 Tablespoon of L-Glutamine Amino Acid
1 scoop of Green Defense, super green foods powder
Directions:
Put spinach and chopped, peeled ginger into the blender.
Pout in the water.
Cover the blender.
Blend on high until the spinach and ginger are liquefied.
Add Flax Oil, Aria, BerrySplash, L-Glutamine, and Green Defense
Blend in 2 or 3 ice cubes...more if you want your drink more frozen
This is a way of getting mega nutrients into your body to support you when you are going through stressful times such as having Alzheimer's in the Family with a parent or other loved one with the disease. I won't go into all the amazing benefits of the ingredients right now. Another time I'll talk about that.
It's important to have equipment that makes creating the smoothie effortless.
I use an Osterizer blender. What I have now is their 12-speed blender. This is an amazingly powerful blender. I've been doing daily shakes with this one for several years and it is still going strong. I have noticed that the bottom of the glass container where the mechanism is may be leaking....wearing out a bit. Rather than checking into getting a new part....usually a tedious process, I am purchasing a new one....
I've chosen the Osterizer 14-speed blender. The 12-speed doesn't seem to be readily available. I'm confident that this one will be as good...and even better than the 12-speed. I found it online at walmart.com. It came up on Google and the price is incredible...$24.88 and is available with their Site to Store with no shipping.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3946735
When you compare this blender to various prestige ones on the the web costing hundreds of dollar, I recommend this one. I've been very satisfied with the performance and durability. Other typical blenders just don't handle this type of blending job as well. Having the glass container is a plus also.
Most mornings I throw together one of these super nutritious, refreshing drinks.
I know that I've gotten my day off to a great start without a lot of preparation.
Ingredients:
2 or more cups of spinach
1 1/2 cups water
about a square inch of fresh ginger, peeled
1 Tablespoon of Flax Oil
2 level scoops of Aria (powdered supplement of blended soy and whey protein)
1/2 scoop of BerrySplash, mixed berry powdered drink mix with Acai Berry
1 Tablespoon of L-Glutamine Amino Acid
1 scoop of Green Defense, super green foods powder
Directions:
Put spinach and chopped, peeled ginger into the blender.
Pout in the water.
Cover the blender.
Blend on high until the spinach and ginger are liquefied.
Add Flax Oil, Aria, BerrySplash, L-Glutamine, and Green Defense
Blend in 2 or 3 ice cubes...more if you want your drink more frozen
This is a way of getting mega nutrients into your body to support you when you are going through stressful times such as having Alzheimer's in the Family with a parent or other loved one with the disease. I won't go into all the amazing benefits of the ingredients right now. Another time I'll talk about that.
It's important to have equipment that makes creating the smoothie effortless.
I use an Osterizer blender. What I have now is their 12-speed blender. This is an amazingly powerful blender. I've been doing daily shakes with this one for several years and it is still going strong. I have noticed that the bottom of the glass container where the mechanism is may be leaking....wearing out a bit. Rather than checking into getting a new part....usually a tedious process, I am purchasing a new one....
I've chosen the Osterizer 14-speed blender. The 12-speed doesn't seem to be readily available. I'm confident that this one will be as good...and even better than the 12-speed. I found it online at walmart.com. It came up on Google and the price is incredible...$24.88 and is available with their Site to Store with no shipping.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3946735
When you compare this blender to various prestige ones on the the web costing hundreds of dollar, I recommend this one. I've been very satisfied with the performance and durability. Other typical blenders just don't handle this type of blending job as well. Having the glass container is a plus also.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Shower the People - James Taylor
Today at Unity of Phoenix Richard Maraj gave another message in his series: The Songs of Life
I loved how he connected James Taylor's "Shower the People" to the many aspects of loving, feeling, and sharing those feelings.
As I listened I found myself seeing parallels with what I've learned from women who have Alzheimer's in the family, whether a parent, spouse, or grandparent.
There are more songs and books about *love* than any other subject...not surprising!
Jesus showed us how to love...unconditionally love...
I was thinking about that in relationship to having a parent with Alzheimer's.
Just as we love our infants unconditionally....just for being, it gets to that point when there is Alzheimer's in the family. No longer is there much response from our parent to what we do or say.
And your parent may not even know who you are anymore...just some nice person who comes to visit.
It's an opportunity to see how pure your love really is...
Are you OK with just "loving" on your parent, even when there doesn't seem to be a positive response?
I am grateful that I truly do believe my Mom still knows me and she usually responds positively to loving touch and smiles. Sometimes not... I just never know from one visit to the next what to expect. I remember one day last year when I visited and she was sitting in the hall and never would wake up the entire time I was there...
She no longer even sits in the hall as far as I know... and I've learned to visit at lunch time when Mom is more alert. I usually sit with Mom while she eats and make certain that they bring her an ice cream sundae. She loves her ice cream!
...and back to James Taylor....
"Show them the way that you feel...."
Expressing your feelings is essential for a successful relationship. The number one reason for dissatisfaction in relationships is not sharing our feelings. We don't tell the truth ... and sometimes don't even FEEL the truth of what is going inside us.
Jesus shared his emotions. Jesus wept. Jesus shared his up feelings, down feeling, angry feelings.
As children we learned that it was much easier and we felt more loved if we said what parents wanted to hear rather than what we were really feeling. Who wants to be the one who's always in trouble for speaking up against their parents?
"You can run but you can't hide"
Don't you LOVE his amazing voice!
I have a special affinity for James Taylor.
His "Greatest Hits" CD was my first...a gift from my son, David.
Yes, you can run from your feelings but you can't hide from them.
There are negative effects when we don't notice and express our feelings.
Suppression of our feelings lowers our immune system.
Not sharing creates separation in relationships.
When a parent is getting older, not hearing well, or is in various stages of Alzheimer's or some other dementia...
After asking over and over again for someone to repeat what they've said, you'll see some older people start faking that they've heard what was said.
Or parents may hide from their children that they are really struggling with keeping up with all the details of their home and life. They feel their children are too busy...don't need to hear about their problems. And parents don't want to lose their independence. If their children think they are not able to be on their own, they'll lose the joy of having their own home and life.
I even saw a story on TV of many homeless people living in tents. People who found themselves without the funds to support a home after losing their jobs...
One couple was talking to the reporter saying they had not told their children...were ashamed to be in the situation....
Think of what's happening to our parents' immune system when they are suppressing their feelings and not sharing their problems with their children...
We need to encourage our parents to share with us.
Gregg Bauer in Real Love says that when we are in fear we can't even be honest with ourselves, much less with others.
With fear, we lie, attack, become a victim, cling, or run.
With love we feel, we're honest, and we're safe.
It all comes down to living in love or living in fear.
Only with honesty and sharing of feelings can there be "Real Love".
Talk to your parent and express your love even if it seems there is no understanding of what you are saying. Just as small children pick up on emotion before they have understanding of language, the same is going on for your parent.
Share what you are going through with someone else who cares about you. Be honest with yourself about the multitude of emotions you are experiencing. It's OK to have negative as well as positive feelings about all that is going on.
Yes, Shower the People....
with your love...
with your concerns...
with your joy...
with your sorrows...
Yes, Show them the way that you feel...
I loved how he connected James Taylor's "Shower the People" to the many aspects of loving, feeling, and sharing those feelings.
As I listened I found myself seeing parallels with what I've learned from women who have Alzheimer's in the family, whether a parent, spouse, or grandparent.
There are more songs and books about *love* than any other subject...not surprising!
Jesus showed us how to love...unconditionally love...
I was thinking about that in relationship to having a parent with Alzheimer's.
Just as we love our infants unconditionally....just for being, it gets to that point when there is Alzheimer's in the family. No longer is there much response from our parent to what we do or say.
And your parent may not even know who you are anymore...just some nice person who comes to visit.
It's an opportunity to see how pure your love really is...
Are you OK with just "loving" on your parent, even when there doesn't seem to be a positive response?
I am grateful that I truly do believe my Mom still knows me and she usually responds positively to loving touch and smiles. Sometimes not... I just never know from one visit to the next what to expect. I remember one day last year when I visited and she was sitting in the hall and never would wake up the entire time I was there...
She no longer even sits in the hall as far as I know... and I've learned to visit at lunch time when Mom is more alert. I usually sit with Mom while she eats and make certain that they bring her an ice cream sundae. She loves her ice cream!
...and back to James Taylor....
"Show them the way that you feel...."
Expressing your feelings is essential for a successful relationship. The number one reason for dissatisfaction in relationships is not sharing our feelings. We don't tell the truth ... and sometimes don't even FEEL the truth of what is going inside us.
Jesus shared his emotions. Jesus wept. Jesus shared his up feelings, down feeling, angry feelings.
As children we learned that it was much easier and we felt more loved if we said what parents wanted to hear rather than what we were really feeling. Who wants to be the one who's always in trouble for speaking up against their parents?
"You can run but you can't hide"
Don't you LOVE his amazing voice!
I have a special affinity for James Taylor.
His "Greatest Hits" CD was my first...a gift from my son, David.
Yes, you can run from your feelings but you can't hide from them.
There are negative effects when we don't notice and express our feelings.
Suppression of our feelings lowers our immune system.
Not sharing creates separation in relationships.
When a parent is getting older, not hearing well, or is in various stages of Alzheimer's or some other dementia...
After asking over and over again for someone to repeat what they've said, you'll see some older people start faking that they've heard what was said.
Or parents may hide from their children that they are really struggling with keeping up with all the details of their home and life. They feel their children are too busy...don't need to hear about their problems. And parents don't want to lose their independence. If their children think they are not able to be on their own, they'll lose the joy of having their own home and life.
I even saw a story on TV of many homeless people living in tents. People who found themselves without the funds to support a home after losing their jobs...
One couple was talking to the reporter saying they had not told their children...were ashamed to be in the situation....
Think of what's happening to our parents' immune system when they are suppressing their feelings and not sharing their problems with their children...
We need to encourage our parents to share with us.
Gregg Bauer in Real Love says that when we are in fear we can't even be honest with ourselves, much less with others.
With fear, we lie, attack, become a victim, cling, or run.
With love we feel, we're honest, and we're safe.
It all comes down to living in love or living in fear.
Only with honesty and sharing of feelings can there be "Real Love".
Talk to your parent and express your love even if it seems there is no understanding of what you are saying. Just as small children pick up on emotion before they have understanding of language, the same is going on for your parent.
Share what you are going through with someone else who cares about you. Be honest with yourself about the multitude of emotions you are experiencing. It's OK to have negative as well as positive feelings about all that is going on.
Yes, Shower the People....
with your love...
with your concerns...
with your joy...
with your sorrows...
Yes, Show them the way that you feel...
Friday, April 24, 2009
What I Hate About Being a Professional Woman With a Parent With Alzheimer's
No one would choose it...
seeing your parent losing their memory, getting more and more confused...
Alzheimer's moves in and reasoning and thinking moves out...
Those times when I was to take her to the doctor's and she was convinced that it was on a different day and would be waiting for me...calling me again and again, leaving me messages that she was waiting for me to get there....sigh..
Mom was always so precise with her punctuality...kept an accurate calendar and followed it precisely. Experiencing her frustration with her confusion was so painful.
I hate seeing Mom losing her once professional brain.
This is a photo of Mom just a few months before her Alzheimer's diagnosis three years ago.
And when I couldn't remember something, I was convinced I was losing my professional brain also.
With Alzheimer's in the family, was I next?
I started to think I was headed down that road right along with her!
I even made an appointment with a neurologist...for ME....to see what he thought about my condition. He took me through some cognitive tests and informed me I scored higher than anyone else had scored...told me that it was the stress of the situation with my mom that was causing me to forget things. Having this Alzheimer's support made a huge difference for me in relaxing about what I'd been feeling.
He reassured me that when Alzheimer's comes along at an advanced age...after 80...that it is not as likely to be an inherited condition. It is early-onset Alzheimer's that is passed on from generation to generation.
I hate that I sometimes have problems focusing on my work. It's easy to let concerns and anxiety about what's coming next cloud my clarity. It takes conscious effort of setting clear intentions and categorizing time segments.
I hate leaving Mom each time I visit her, wondering if she'll know me the next time I see her.
I hate not being able to share my latest projects with Mom.
I hate seeing so many of Mom's friends getting very frail and dying.
I hate seeing Mom's eyes looking so lost and far away.
I hate losing my Mom.
seeing your parent losing their memory, getting more and more confused...
Alzheimer's moves in and reasoning and thinking moves out...
Those times when I was to take her to the doctor's and she was convinced that it was on a different day and would be waiting for me...calling me again and again, leaving me messages that she was waiting for me to get there....sigh..
Mom was always so precise with her punctuality...kept an accurate calendar and followed it precisely. Experiencing her frustration with her confusion was so painful.
I hate seeing Mom losing her once professional brain.
This is a photo of Mom just a few months before her Alzheimer's diagnosis three years ago.
And when I couldn't remember something, I was convinced I was losing my professional brain also.
With Alzheimer's in the family, was I next?
I started to think I was headed down that road right along with her!
I even made an appointment with a neurologist...for ME....to see what he thought about my condition. He took me through some cognitive tests and informed me I scored higher than anyone else had scored...told me that it was the stress of the situation with my mom that was causing me to forget things. Having this Alzheimer's support made a huge difference for me in relaxing about what I'd been feeling.
He reassured me that when Alzheimer's comes along at an advanced age...after 80...that it is not as likely to be an inherited condition. It is early-onset Alzheimer's that is passed on from generation to generation.
I hate that I sometimes have problems focusing on my work. It's easy to let concerns and anxiety about what's coming next cloud my clarity. It takes conscious effort of setting clear intentions and categorizing time segments.
I hate leaving Mom each time I visit her, wondering if she'll know me the next time I see her.
I hate not being able to share my latest projects with Mom.
I hate seeing so many of Mom's friends getting very frail and dying.
I hate seeing Mom's eyes looking so lost and far away.
I hate losing my Mom.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
We Can Work It Out...the Beatles
As part of a series of messages given by Richard Maraj, our minister at Unity of Phoenix,"We Can Work It Out" was the topic on Sunday. I loved this study on an old favorite song... and it got me to thinking about the present, the past, and the future.
Yes, we CAN work it out, but it is not always in the way we would choose.
We can set our sights on what we want to avoid...and what we feel we much have..
When we have Alzheimer's in the family and see our parent slipping away from the person we knew them to be, it's hard to see the good in that. And I have to admit, it's been difficult for me. Alzheimer's support is important for anyone whose parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
What I have experienced the last four years is a review of my life with my mom - the good, the bad, and the "ugly" as they say...
I've thought about things I wasn't all that happy about with our relationship and have been able to let them go... I see Mom now in a very different way...not in the mom role anymore....and it allows me to accept her as just a human being. All that I experienced with her was just my mom doing the best that she could with what she knew at the time and with her own life experiences.
And what I really love is the rich appreciation I'm feeling for all that has been amazing about my Mom. Remembering how she was so up on what was going on...
Seeing myself back at those great holiday celebrations that we always had...special birthday parties, festive Christmas and New Year's celebrations.
Mom always created wonderful food and a beautiful home....
It's given me a rich, positive position about my childhood.
Often we affirm the negative, project the worst, and narrow our focus to fear...
"If this doesn't happen...I'll never be happy again!"
We can not control what results may happen in our life.
Sometimes what comes about is better than we ever expected...
And sometimes we see things happening that seem so wrong and later turn out to have a very positive result.
What we do have the power to do is create our own inner environment.
Unlike indigenous plants that can thrive only in their native environment, we are instead endogenous...meaning that we grow from within and can thrive anywhere.
When we remember that, it's easier to move forward and see the positive around us.
As the Beatles sang it all so wisely:
Life is very short and there's no time for fussy and fighting....
Take time to be grateful...
Take time to receive...
Take time to love...
Yes, we CAN work it out, but it is not always in the way we would choose.
We can set our sights on what we want to avoid...and what we feel we much have..
When we have Alzheimer's in the family and see our parent slipping away from the person we knew them to be, it's hard to see the good in that. And I have to admit, it's been difficult for me. Alzheimer's support is important for anyone whose parent is diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
What I have experienced the last four years is a review of my life with my mom - the good, the bad, and the "ugly" as they say...
I've thought about things I wasn't all that happy about with our relationship and have been able to let them go... I see Mom now in a very different way...not in the mom role anymore....and it allows me to accept her as just a human being. All that I experienced with her was just my mom doing the best that she could with what she knew at the time and with her own life experiences.
And what I really love is the rich appreciation I'm feeling for all that has been amazing about my Mom. Remembering how she was so up on what was going on...
Seeing myself back at those great holiday celebrations that we always had...special birthday parties, festive Christmas and New Year's celebrations.
Mom always created wonderful food and a beautiful home....
It's given me a rich, positive position about my childhood.
Often we affirm the negative, project the worst, and narrow our focus to fear...
"If this doesn't happen...I'll never be happy again!"
We can not control what results may happen in our life.
Sometimes what comes about is better than we ever expected...
And sometimes we see things happening that seem so wrong and later turn out to have a very positive result.
What we do have the power to do is create our own inner environment.
Unlike indigenous plants that can thrive only in their native environment, we are instead endogenous...meaning that we grow from within and can thrive anywhere.
When we remember that, it's easier to move forward and see the positive around us.
As the Beatles sang it all so wisely:
Life is very short and there's no time for fussy and fighting....
Take time to be grateful...
Take time to receive...
Take time to love...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's
10 Million...that's one out of eight boomers...will develop Alzheimer's.
This fact comes from the 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report.
There are now 5.3 million Americans living with this debilitating disease.
When there is Alzheimer's in the family, there are both social and economic impacts for both the patients and their loved ones.
Alzheimer's disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. It even exceeds diabetes in the number of annual deaths.
And what is even more sobering is that younger-onset Alzheimer's, occurring in people as young as in their 30's, affects nearly 500,000 Americans!
These younger individuals are usually employed and may have children still living at home. This brings up even more serious consequences including financial crisis, receiving benefits, and helping their children cope with the disease. Alzheimer's support is critical for this transition time.
Our support of research and awareness of Alzheimer's and its effects on the family is critical for the well being of all of us.
If you'd like to check out the 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report, you can access it here:
===>>> http://alz.org/national/documents/report_alzfactsfigures2009.pdf
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