Thursday, August 29,2012 Random thoughts on A.

There are worse things in the world than Alzheimers Disease I guess, but only if the person having the disease can still enjoy the sun, the lakes and rivers, trees, and all nature.  This is the degree where  Mac is in the spectrum of the disease...soo it's certainly not all bad.  When I put out my hand to help him out of the deck chair in the back yard...he said "shall we dance"  and we proceded to do a few waltz steps..then he kissed me...this is my memory of today...and also another memory in direct opposite ...he asked me just 20 minutes ago...'do you have a sister?'  i answered, yes I had one, Ellen remember, we were Ellen and Janet
Mergler...then I married you and became Janet McConnell...."well that I don't remember" said my charming
dance partner.

Today I connected with the lady whose husband is in Champlain because he is too disabled with the disease, plus has cancer...she is so pleased now,  one of her children has come to visit for a time  with her.  When we chatted we discussed the three other men whose wives we know -  like her they visit their husband there, every second day, and sometimes every day at the Champlain Residence..

Where will Mac go and will he go there or will I get another person in to help me with being a care giver.  These were my thoughts as we went through the day.  Mac continues to be able to walk well,  especially after we do walk, as if he sits for too long he stumbles and kind of bumbles along...and as we walked today we checked into a residence on Verdure Ave.  where we had our name listed in the past.  Turns out that they have degrees of just how far gone one has to  be before they will accept or not accept.one with A...but looking at the situation or the apartments, it really didn't bother me, as at this point cannot consider moving.

So my next thought is to I get a person in to help occasionally now so as to be prepared for the future - this is a consideration, and I will connect with the A. association to get some idea about this choice..  One thing is important apparently and that is to have a person for respite..not only for a day, that I have, but for other times as well.  The A. suggest that family members take time and  turns  do this as it is a way of keeping connection with the parent; of course this does not mean not having a helper..but we are not at this time desperate..as I mentioned, Mac is still fun to be with, and I do not mind the multitude of repetitous questions, it's our conversation and hey there are couples that never communicate...we sure do.

So here I am, back - we've had a good day obviously or I wouldn't be here...so must join my dance partner now....he's waiting.