Saturday, May 19, 2017...I'm kind of late with my most recent visit with Alma, which was last Monday...will be going again this Monday..but just want to put a few thoughts down while I have them in mind.  

I collected over 600$ so far for the Alzheimer's WALK  this money along with all the other monies collected I hope will go for research for a cure...this of course is top priority..Why I'm talking about this is because one of my friends has been going through a really rough time with her cousin who had the disease of dementia..not all dementia is Alzheimer's but all dementia is a maddening thing to encounter when one has to think of ways to help.  Her cousin died and although it is sad, it is also what her cousin wanted...to die.  How terrible and sad an ending.

Therefore, my friend is so insistent that whatever monies are collected should absolutely go to research and CURE.  Well of course, but it is so important too that the $$$ go to help the Alzheimer Association help the CARE GIVERS... She would have benefited by going to a group meeting, her thoughts and ideas along with the other care givers that are in the group the support and exchange of problems and how to solve them are a real blessing to the people in the group.

 I for one have been in an Alzheimer Support Group..It was, for me, so important..  It must have been to the people in the group as well, because...that is how I came to know ALMA...Even though I am no longer looking after Mac..as his caregiver.  Alma's daughter is her Care Giver, I met her at our Alzheimer Group..she along with 7 others in the group have kept together.  We meet about once a month..in this group, there are now 3 of us who no longer have the sick person in our lives..but we meet to help the others, to listen to their lives, and give support, In my case I give my support by helping Alma which gives her daughter who was my fellow Care Giver a break.

Not only that, but she remembers Mac, she can help me at times too, as I sometimes slide into a kind of sad time wishing he was here but forgetting how his disease made him so unable to understand what's going on.  This is the same scenario that we see with Alma.  When I went to see her last Monday, she was in her room sitting in her wheelchair, folding very very carefully, a pair of pullups.(kind of diaper she wears)  She then put them in a purse and then in the drawer.  Saying well that's done, but what do I do with those things anyway.

As I pushed her wheelchair out of her room, she said, "now just where are we dear".  I said, you are at the Bayview Residence, in your apartment, It's. nice right??  But now we are going to your Art Group.   "oh we are??"   and so we did our project.  Which was to stamp some nice flowers or animals from a stamper pad unto cards..making Thank You's...  Who are we thanking said Alma, and Why...good questions.  Turns out we were thanking the art suppliers..She did a lovely job of stamping a cat, a kind of cougar, and a beautiful flower on three different cards....coloring them and discussing with me just how they should be placed on the card.  She suggested how I should put additional touches so she could color them in, a kind of palm tree, a kind of doorway around the cougar, and leaves around the flower.    We then put three tiny plants into tiny glass cups Those were the gifts that went with the cards...I thought this was a super project.  Most of the residents there enjoyed the whole process, Many thanks should go to the young girl (forgotten her name) who leads the class.

Well as we were leaving the class I said to Alma, let's look at your work one more time before it is taken away to give to the suppliers..That was within five minutes after she finished...she looked at everything carefully, and said...Those cards and plants are very nice, who did that, and where are they going.  All things are so "right now",  no memory, no thoughts...just as I was feeling a bit depressed about this..Alma said.  Isn't that MY JACKIE...and it was, Jackie is her daughter...My heart lightened as I waved to Jackie.  Hurrah what a wonderful memory...and a good end to our day together.