Final for my Abnormal Psychology class

I chose to write my final for my abnormal psych class on Ronald Reagan and Alzheimer’s. I don’t feel like blogging today…writing this has sort of left me drained. So enjoy.

Ronald Reagan and Alzheimer’s: An Unreachable Sunset

An estimated 5.1 million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, or AD, and that number is expected to triple by mid-century (National Institute on Aging, 2010), (Petersen, 2010). So many suffer this difficult and, at times, humiliating, disease that Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy were inspired to make his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease public. By choosing to make his struggles common knowledge, he was raising awareness of this debilitating mental disorder.

The Man

Ronald Reagan was born February 6, 1911. He attended Eureka College, where he studied economics and sociology. After a successful acting career, he involved himself in politics. He was elected to two consecutive terms as the Governor of California, in 1966 and 1970. He is best known, however, for taking the presidential office on January 20, 1981. Scarcely two months after taking office, he was shot in an assassination attempt. The bullet hit his left lung, but it was his grace and upbeat attitude during recovery that endeared him to the American public. After such an eventful presidency, he was elected to a second term in 1984 (The White House, n.d.).

Ten years later, after he had left office, he released a letter to the public announcing his diagnosis of AD, saying “I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life,” (Reagan, 1994). As he deteriorated, his wife Nancy was his constant caretaker (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 2009). Reagan did not suffer alone, his wife, children, and others suffered the sadness of watching him slowly forget them and mentally deteriorate.

The Disease

Alzheimer’s disease usually begins after age 60, but it can affect adults as young as 30 years (Petersen, 2010). The first symptoms are usually mild forgetfulness, and are only distinguishable from normal age-related memory problems when it becomes more severe and is joined by further mental deterioration. Some feel that Reagan may have been suffering from AD as early as his second term as president due to the fact that he sometimes forgot things or seemed confused.

Later on, solving problems such as simple mathematics becomes difficult, then tasks such as brushing one’s teeth or finding the bathroom in one’s own home become troublesome. Soon the patient begins to forget familiar faces and places, and has difficulty with communication and comprehension. Changes in temperament follow, with sufferers sometimes becoming fearful, aggressive, or anxious. Many wander from their homes in confusion, often searching for “home” or loved ones.

AD symptoms are caused by extensive cell death and a reduction in the number of dendrites that connect neurons to each other (Hansell & Damour, 2008, p. 551). The number one suspects in this are neuritic plaques, abnormal clusters of proteins called beta-amyloid, and neurofibrillary tangles, long twisted strands of a different protein called tau. The neuritic plaques block cell signals at synapses, and may “activate immune system cells that trigger inflammation and devour disabled cells” (Alzheimer’s Association, 2010). The neurofibrillary tangles were once a transport system for key materials for brain function. The protein tau helps to keep these strands straight, however, when it collapses, the strands can no longer remain straight and they begin to disintegrate. This halts the transport of the materials to the cells, which then die (Alzheimer’s Association, 2010). This knowledge had not been discovered when Ronald Reagan was suffering from this disease.

Procuring a diagnosis of AD is usually done in various ways, including a review of the patient’s general health, medical history, tests to analyze memory, problem-solving, attention, and other mental abilities. More scientific tests include blood, urine, and spinal fluid analysis and brain scans.  However, the only definite way to confirm the diagnosis is usually through looking at the actual brain tissue during autopsy (Bellenir, 2008).

After the diagnosis is made, patients live an average of 10 years, as did Reagan, though some may live up to 20 years (Bellenir, 2008). There is currently no cure for AD, though there are some drugs that can help slow the progression and manage the symptoms of the disease. These include cholinesterase inhibitors, which help to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter important in learning and memory, and memantine, or Namenda, which regulates glutamate, another neurotransmitter important in learning memory. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2010). This number of drugs was not available to treat AD during Reagan’s lifetime.

Brand/Generic	Approved For	Side Effects
Aricept/donepezil	All stages	Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increased frequency of bowel movements.
Razadyne/galantamine	Early to mid- stages	Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increased frequency of bowel movements.
Namenda/memantine	Mid- to late stages	Headache, constipation, confusion and dizziness.
Exelon/rivastigmine	Early to mid- stages	Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increased frequency of bowel movements.
Cognex/tacrine	Early to mid- stages	Possible liver damage, nausea, and vomiting.

(Alzheimer’s Association, 2010).

Additionally, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antipsychotic medications may be prescribed to help manage the mental symptoms, as well as other medications to counteract the different side effects the patient may experience.

In addition to medication, a person suffering from AD will also need special care. This duty usually falls to a family member, either a spouse or an adult child of the patient. Indeed, Nancy, Ronald Reagan’s wife, was his main caretaker. The Alzheimer’s Association recommends the following steps to facilitate the care and treatment of AD patients:

• Monitor personal comfort. Check for pain, hunger, thirst, constipation, full bladder, fatigue, infections and skin irritation. Maintain a comfortable room temperature.
• Avoid being confrontational or arguing about facts; instead, respond to the feeling behind what is being expressed. For example, if a person expresses a wish to go visit a parent who died years ago, do not point out that the parent is dead. Instead, say, “Your mother is a wonderful person. I would like to see her too.”
• Redirect the person’s attention. Try to remain flexible, patient and supportive.
• Create a calm environment. Avoid noise, glare, insecure space, and too much background distraction, including television.
• Simplify the environment, tasks and solutions.
• Allow adequate rest between stimulating events.
• Provide a security object or privacy.
• Equip doors and gates with safety locks.
• Remove guns.

(Alzheimer’s Association, 2010).

Components of Alzheimer’s Disease

While AD seems to be a strictly mental disease, it has different components, and far reaching effects. There are biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components of this mental disease. In fact, it is often the emotional components that are the most difficult to deal with for caretakers, and the physical components are usually responsible for patient death.

Biological Components

The biological components of AD include the deterioration of the brain and outward physical symptoms that do not usually appear until the later stages. A patient with mid- to late stage AD may experience difficulty controlling his or her bladder and/or bowels, and a loss of coordination and motor skills. This can lead to difficulties with movements, such as walking, and clumsiness. Accidents are common, such as the broken hip Reagan suffered in a fall in January of 2001. This decline in ability can progress to the patient being unable to smile, sit up, or even hold up their own head. Their reflexes become abnormal, and may even regress to an infantile state, such as the Babinksi, or plantar extensor, reflex (Reisberg, M.D., n.d.). Often patients with AD develop secondary physical illnesses such as pneumonia. This could be due to problems the patient has swallowing, which lead to food and liquids entering the lungs. This is generally what causes death, such as in the case of Ronald Reagan. His official cause of death was not listed as Alzheimer’s disease, but rather as pneumonia complicated by Alzheimer’s disease.

Emotional Components

Confusion, frustration, fear, and depression are some of the emotional components of AD. As the patient slips further into the dementia, he or she will often experience a wide range of emotions that seem inappropriate, such as aggression and anger towards caretakers. AD is a frightening and lonely disease to have. However, the emotional toll is not limited to patients. Reagan’s family was a firsthand witness to this hard truth. Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis described her feelings, saying, “You watch a person retreat into a strange land, knowing you cannot follow…but the absence leaves you wandering in a wilderness all your own” Shortly before Reagan died, Nancy said this of her experiences: “Ronnie’s long journey has finally taken him to a distant place where I can no longer reach him,” (Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 2009). A caregiver is subject to the stress of caring for a loved one who is ailing and often needs round-the-clock supervision for several years before their death. Not only is that a large workload, but the caretaker also must face the day-to-day pain of not being recognized by their loved one and sometimes being the target of their anger and aggression. They must deal daily with watching their loved one suffer, knowing there is no cure, that the future only gets bleaker. This can result in depression, mental breakdown, and other physical and mental illnesses in caretakers.

Cognitive Components

Clinically speaking, the cognitive components of AD are “memory impairment, and one or more of the following: aphasia (difficulty with language), apraxia (impaired motor abilities), agnosia (difficulty recognizing things), and disturbance in executive functioning (the ability to plan, initiate, monitor, and stop complex behaviors)” (Hansell & Damour, 2008, p. 546). Speaking plainly, symptoms will begin as mild memory problems and will end with signs of severe brain damage. The inability to remember the names and faces of family, and the eventual inability to communicate are difficult for both patient and caretakers and family. “As his years with Alzheimer’s progressed, Reagan’s memory began to deteriorate more and more, with his wife Nancy being one of the only people he was still able to recognize,” (Celebrities with Diseases, 2008) and soon, he seemed to be unable to recognize even her. Also common are delusions and hallucinations. Patients may regress to another time in their lives and mistake their spouse for a parent, or a granddaughter for their daughter.

Behavioral Components

Due to the difficult changes AD sufferers are going through, and their decreased cognitive ability, reaction to cognitive difficulties are common, and patients may become agitated, depressed, or violent and may act on these feelings. Shows of aggression are not uncommon. Also, many patients wander from home, hide or lose things, or act as if suspicious of a caretaker’s motives. They may become difficult to handle, refusing to change clothes, bathe, or eat. As their cognitive ability declines, odd behavior may begin manifest such as urinating in inappropriate places, throwing food or plates and utensils on the floor, or refusing to leave their home. Sometimes these behaviors can be managed with patience and understanding. However, this is not always the case, and it is often these problem behaviors that cause a family to make the decision to place the loved one with the disease in a nursing home or assisted living facility. It is unclear whether or not Ronald Reagan ever experienced the more severe of these behavioral problems, as his family thought it best for him to suffer in private, so that the public remembered him as he was. Regardless of whether or not Reagan became difficult to handle, Nancy and a nurse cared for him at his home until his death.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s disease is a painful disease, for both the patient and his or her family. Severe mental deterioration steals the mind of the sufferer bit by bit, over a decade or more. Remembering patients as they were before they were stricken with the disease is vital, not only for the sake of the caretakers, but also the patients themselves. Those caring for the AD patient must remember that this person is human, and sometimes has lucid moments. Emotions are always present in the patient, even if they are sometimes unpredictable, and consistently poor treatment or abuse can worsen the symptoms, such as depression, and make the quality of life deplorable. Ronald and Nancy Reagan were models for the country for the recognition of Alzheimer’s disease, for the compassionate treatment of sufferers, and the plight of the caretakers.

References

 Alzheimer’s Association. (2010). Standard treatments. Retrieved from http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_standard_prescriptions.asp

 Bellenir, K. (2008). Alzheimer disease sourcebook (4th ed.). Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, Inc..

Celebrities with Diseases. (2008). Ronald Reagan and his silent battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Retrieved from http://www.celebrities-with-diseases.com/celebrities/ronald-reagan-and-his-silent-battle-with-alzheimer-disease-516.html

Hansell, J., & Damour, L. (2008). Abnormal psychology (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases. (2009). Alzheimer’s disease: Ronald Reagan. Retrieved from http://ind.ucsf.edu/ind/truestories/individual/alzheimers

 National Institute on Aging. (2010). Alzheimer’s disease fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/adfact.htm

Petersen, B. (2010, June 20). Jan’s story: Love and early-onset Alzheimer’s. CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/20/sunday/main6600364.shtml

Reagan, R. (1994). Announcement of Alzheimer’s disease.  Retrieved from http://reagan2020.us/speeches/announcment_of_alzheimers.asp

Reisberg, M.D., B. (n.d.). Clinical stages of Alzheimer’s. Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.alzinfo.org/clinical-stages-of-alzheimers

 The White House. (n.d.). Ronald Reagan: The White House. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan/

Papa-this is for you.

Finally! A new post!

Well, my grandparents are moved into their new house, and I have their computer up and running, viruses and other misc. junk removed. I think I will ask my aunt to run some scans to see if I missed anything. But I now have internet access during the day, and my laptops will also be fixed, soon, too. So I can pick back up blogging, school will be easier, and life in general will be good.  Happily, while cleaning up her laptop, I also found some pictures I copied for myself. Some of Papa, some of Dahlia, my wedding, other things, and the family in general. But anyway, back to blogging…

As usual, the report is mixed. He seems to be learning the layout of the house well, and can find the bathroom with little to no help most of the time. I just remind him every morning, and usually, for the rest of the day, he can find it on his own, sometimes just needing a little reminder. And while he doesn’t remember their names, he remembers that Will usually comes in with me in the mornings (he missed him this morning!) and that Dahlia is with Will when he comes to pick me up. Also, we have him a bracelet now, and someone is coming tomorrow to put locks and ramps in to help keep him safe and to facilitate his getting in and out when he is going places with family.

But the negative is rough. He has tried to leave several times, to “go home,” and it is worrisome. He doesn’t like leaving the house, especially without my grandmother (unless he is wandering, lol). He even turned down a chance to go to the World Series to see our Rangers. Also, when the woman with the Alzheimer’s Assoc. was here, and my grandmother and I were having to tell her about his condition, he was very upset. I tried to keep him distracted, but he heard the whole thing, and was so angry with my grandmother for telling the lady how forgetful he is and the different things he cannot do for himself. He was saying he was going to move out to get away from her, and I was joking, trying to entertain him, and I said “Who will cook for you?” He said “I just won’t eat,” to which I responded “Then what will you do?” What he said then kind of upset me a little because the vindiction in his voice: “Die. I would rather die than listen to that bullcorn.” *sigh* I hate hearing him that upset. Of course, the next day he had forgotten all about it and was fine, but it is still worrying.

Will and I have been talking. He is trying to prepare me, in his own way, for what is inevitable. I know Papa’s going to continue to deteriorate, and that could entail anything from being mean and aggressive (not that he can hurt anyone physically) to being unable to eat or “go” by himself. The day that I can’t care for him is coming eventually. My parents are moving in with my grandparents soon, but what will happen while they are at work and I can’t care for Papa anymore? Will a nurse come in? How will that affect him? I just know that if he were put in a home it would only be a matter of time. He needs the interaction of his family, not a life devoid of quality social interaction. *sigh* I know I shouldn’t worry about all this now, and that I should take it one day at a time, but I guess that being with him everyday really brings it home.

Anyway, I have some homework to catch up on, and I have a walk coming up on the 19th that I need to try to get some donations for, so I better go. I will try to get some good articles for tomorrow’s blog.

Later.

At a zoo a few years ago

A new post, yay!

Sorry for the lack, again. Busy busy busy, and our laptop is broken. So I am not able to get to a computer until 5 or 6, and then I have homework to do, and also, I am now sharing computer time with my hubby, who is in his master’s right now.

Anyway, onward to the good and bad. Bad first, eh? Well, he fell a week back. He was with my grandmother and he fell on the driveway while she was mowing. He was ok, but busted his elbow up pretty bad. Whate else…lately, I am not sure that he knows just who I am. When I refer to my parents as my mom and dad, he claims he doesn’t know them. However, if I refer to them by name, he knows who I am talking about. Also, I think he sometimes thinks I live with him. He keeps asking if I am going with them when they move, and says he will miss me. I have to assure him that I will still come to see him everyday, and not to worry. I also worry about him because he says his knees are bothering him, but there’s not much that can be done. And he keeps getting what I assume to be hot and cold flashes. One minute he says he is hot, and then the next he is cold. I usually adjust the thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees, but sometimes not at all, and just awhile later, he will say that he is the opposite of whatever he was before. He also has been showing uneasiness when I leave if my grandmother hasn’t arrived yet. When I tell him that she will be there in half an hour, he tells me that she won’t be home for hours, and is visibly agitated. I stay late when I can, but sometimes I simply am unable to. He is ok if he knows I am returning, such as when I have had to leave to pick up my daughter, but if he knows I am leaving for the day, he gets somewhat upset. He is also concerned about moving. He remembers most of the time that they are moving, but not that my parents will be there, as well. When I remind him about that, he gets worried that it won’t work out. He also gets upset because he is afraid someone will turn his tv channel. I have to giggle a little at that…

As for the good, I can tell that, despite not knowing who I am, he does know that I come over everyday, and he enjoys my company. He let Will turn the channel for him the other day to the Ranger game (but still won’t let me, lol). He sometimes pours his own coffee, and has agreed to let me cut his hair (if I can remember to bring the darn clippers). He has been enjoying my cooking (and tells me he will miss it when they move, until I remind him I will still be coming over). We’ve been having vegetables more this week, and fish. I made sauteed tilapia yesterday with corn and green beans. He really enjoyed it. I also made him sugar cookies the other day. The first batch, lol, I accidently used powdered sugar instead of flour. I mean, who keeps a giant tub of powdered sugar?!? No one! Usually giant tubs of white fluffy powder that are in a baking cabinet are flour. But anyway, the sugar of course melted and it looked like I was making a brittle or something, but it tasted ewwy. The second batch, I figured out the problem and found the flour. They came out pretty good. He like them the first day, but not so much the second day, lol. He has enjoyed playing with Dahlia when she comes over.

Well, that is really a decent summary of what has gone on since my last post. Mainly the same old. But that allows me to make my posts a couple times a week instead of everyday, at least  until my laptop is fixed. Until then…

Finally a new blog! Days 8, 9, 10, and 11…

Ok, sorry about the lack of updates, lately. I’ve had a lot of school work, and I am doing some walking to get ready for the Memory Walk. Anyway, here are some links for today, then on to catching up. The first one is simply an informational sheet for caregivers. It outlines the stages of Alzheimer’s disease-early, middle, and late. The second is a link from NORML. For those of you who don’t know, NORML is the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Regardless of what you think of marijuana as a recreational drug, one cannot deny the medicinal benefits that research has yielded recently. One of those benefits is the treatment and moderation of Alzheimer’s. Read up…tell me what you think.

http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=567

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7003

OK…let’s see, where did we leave off? Day 8? Ok. Day 8 was Thursday. Did better with the oatmeal this time. I put some brown sugar and vanilla in it. He ate almost all of it. It’s been so long, I don’t remember what we did for lunch or snack that day, but I do remember him being pretty much the same as he had been the previous days.

So that brings us to day 9. I made him cheerios for breakfast. He didn’t like them at all. I asked if he wanted something else, but he said no. So I just gave him a bowl of grapes, and then did snack time a little early. I also made it a little bigger, doing some cookies and some fruit. For lunch, we had chicken quesadillas made from leftover chicken. I cut his into bite size pieces because they were falling apart since I used a pan. I’ll have to bring the sandwich and quesadilla maker over next time (Thanks, btw, Kim and Jeff! We still love it!). A little later we had another snack a little later, of ice cream. I think I shall make every Thursday/Friday (whichever is my last day) of each week ice cream day. He really enjoys it. He seemed to be pretty good for the most part today, but a little more confused than earlier in the week.

On one of these days, I can’t remember which one, the tv repairman came to fix the tv. We couldn’t turn the volume up or down, and the tv wouldn’t turn off.  The tv repairman had to turn it off and warned us that if he couldn’t fix the tv, it might not turn back on until he could get some new parts. Hearing that, Papa got upset. “I have to watch my tv. I gotta watch my shows…” We were also having a discussion about them moving, and he got very upset at the thought that someone would turn the channel from his channel…he kept reiterating how important the shows were to him. I think that, until that moment, the repair man just thought that I was subjecting a poor old man to my television whims.

On day 10, which was yesterday, Dahlia woke up “sick.” We allowed her to stay home, so she and daddy came to sit with Papa with me. Will made us all pancakes, eggs, and sausage. I think Papa really enjoyed it, and I know he enjoyed having Dahlia to play with all day. He almost let Will change the channel, but got cranky at the last minute. For lunch, we had leftover pot roast sandwiches, and then played around some more.

Today, day 11, I gave him cereal for breakfast. And again he didn’t like it. I made him some toast and fruit. He ate a few pieces of the orange, and didn’t even touch the toast. An hour later, I gave him the rest of the orange and some cheetos. He ate the orange,  but not the cheetos. For lunch, I made him a sandwich with vienna sausages, some potato salad, and some pudding. He ate about half of it all. He did not want another snack, so he didn’t eat much today, really. As far as mental function, he was disoriented and couldn’t find the bathroom, a little worse than usual. However, he was sharp enough to trick me! He walked to the door, so I asked “You going to look around outside?” and he answered “Yeah, just wanted to look outside, and it feels good out here.” He then proceeded to hang out with the door partially closed and stand on the porch. I watched him for awhile out of the corner of my eye, thinking that he was just doing what he normally does and looking outside. He even remarked on the nice weather. Then I heard a very quiet sound…like water dripping…later when I could check with embarrassing him, I noticed the remnants of a puddle. You can figure out what happened from there…I won’t spell it out. He was too embarrassed to ask me where the bathroom was. So the rest of the day, I made sure to ask as soon as he got up if he needed to go to the bathroom, rather than just asking where he was going. Lesson learned! Anyway, other than that, he napped a good part of the day, more than five minutes at a time this time. So tomorrow, I will try another breakfast and will be more on the ball about where he is going and why.

Actively Loving

So, I realized today that I don’t know when I last walked 2.2 miles, and here I am doing the 2010 Memory Walk. I decided that I would start doing some walking, better late than never. While I was walking, I listened to my iPod. I listen to many different types of music. Country is one that, though I fought it in my teens, I always go back to. Guess it is in my blood. The Garth Brooks song “You Move Me” came on. Yes, I know it is supposed to be about two lovers, but it made me think of my family, particularly my grandfather and my aunt.

You see, I am, for all the show I put on, a very shy and anxious person, even around my family. Under the joking and laughing, I am constantly evaluating my actions and the actions of others. “Did I say the right thing?” “Is she looking at me like that because she hates me, or because there’s broccoli in her teeth?” Because of this, I tend to cop out of a lot of things. Parties, get-togethers…if it isn’t a major holiday or tradition, I am likely not coming. And it is the same with my friends. “What, a party? Well….” and then one of two things happens: I force myself to go and I am anxious the entire time and mentally exhausted by the end, or two (and most likely) I don’t go. Having a child gives me a built in excuse. Will is trying hard to help me work through this, but it still is tough.

But I am rambling (blame it on the ADHD). Back to the song, and Papa and Jennifer. The song first made me think of my grandfather:

“This is how it seems to me
Life is only therapy
Real expensive
And no guarantee”

and then later:

“You go whistling in the dark
Making light of it
Making light of it
And I follow with my heart
Laughing all the way”

The first one reminded me of how, despite how active and mentally sharp he was, that was not enough to save him from this disease. You never know what life is going to give you. The second part reminded me of him teaching me to swim, or helping me at Six Flags with a cruel boss and some horrible rumors. I was so scared, but he would smile and make me laugh, making it easier for me to press on. He helped me to move forward in life.

Then I also started to think of Jennifer:

“But you move me
You give me courage I didn’t
know I had
You move me on
I can’t go with you
And stay where I am
So you move me on”

I thought of how she has inspired me to do this walk, and how it has really gotten me motivated to do this blog, and some other things. I have always wanted to do this, but I am the queen of no motivation. Seeing that she was going to do this, even after having back surgery recently, really made me feel like I needed to get off my butt. So, as I walked, with Garth’s words pumping into my brain, it made me think of how passively I have been loving people.

I rarely tell my family and friends how much they mean to me. I think to myself “How can I tell these people that I truly do love them, when I isolate myself from them and make such an effort to stay that way?” I don’t call or visit. I sometimes invite, because visiting in my own home is easier, but in general, I just glue myself to my husband and that is that.

I am missing out on so many chances…and had I not been blessed with this opportunity to spend time with my Papa, what would I be missing out on then? How would I feel when he was no longer here? This is as close to being forced to spending time with him as it gets. I regret that it took this much before I would spend time with him. Whenever I was near him, I was always so nervous. I didn’t know what to say, what to do. Now that I am with him all day, there is no rush. I can just let things happen. And things are happening. I am getting more comfortable around him, and instead of dreading the anxiety, I look forward to spending time with him and making him smile. I am so thankful for this chance…there are not words enough to express my gratitude.

And this makes me think of the other people in my life my family and the friends that I look at like siblings, but who are more likely to view me as a casual friend because I am so anti-social. I don’t giggle and whisper secrets during late night phone calls (or any phone calls). I don’t text daily. Hell, facebook is a boon to me…it really has made my interaction with others soar. If I should die tomorrow, will these people know how much I truly care? Will my cousins (all of them) know how truly proud of them I am? I have some in college, some working hard, some in the forces…and I am so, so proud of them, so thankful to be related to them. And my aunts and uncles are amazing too….brothers and sisters in law…my mother in law…my parents….grandparents…everyone. I really do love you all.

Anyway, I am making this incredibly sappy blog to tell everyone…ACTIVELY love your family and friends while you can. You never know when something could come along and take their life, or yours. Even something like Alzheimer’s, which kills slowly, is still time you are losing with them.

Day 7

No links today. I plan on making a second post shortly on a related topic.

OK, so day 7…what have I learned? I can’t cook breakfast food for poopsicles. I tried making over-medium eggs…and it didn’t work, lol. But he did eat his pancakes. Afterwards, we sat down to watch TV. Up to that point, he had just been wearing his pants and an undershirt. He decided to put his shirt on, and it was another sad but cute moment. I was having to help him get it on, and at one point, he had it stuck on his head, with just his face peeking out of the hole. The look on his face (pure innocence and confusion)  was priceless, and it reminded me of Dahli (my daughter), I had to giggle. It did make me a little sad to think that, unlike my daughter, he would never master this skill, but only continue to deteriorate. But, hey, in this type of situation, you have to find the sun where ever it pokes out of the clouds. Find enjoyment in any moment you can with them.

We had frito pie for lunch. I was afraid it would be difficult to eat, so I put the fritos, chili, and cheese in a pan and baked them so it would make a really thick, really cheesy, frito-flavored (the fritos get soft) chili. He ate every bit, along with some grapes and vanilla pudding. The pudding is hard for him to eat without dropping, but he seems to like it, so I don’t mind. We then sat back down to watch some more TV.

He was also very talkative today, which was good. Although, I did have to listen to the same story about the orphanage 20 times…but hey, I would rather hear that from him over and over than hear silence. And it was better than the previous conversation, about their move. I felt bad bringing it up, honestly. I had two motives…one, I wanted to just make conversation, and two, I was thinking that now that his mental facilities are starting to improve, a repetitive dialogue over moving might eventually form some sort of memory in his mind. I know it is a long shot, but with some forms of short term memory loss, this method works, so I thought, “what could it hurt?”

Well, he obviously didn’t know what I was talking about, so I explained it. I told him he would be moving in with my parents, my brother, and my cousin. He went back and forth between being fine with it-“Well, my wife and Lisa know what they are doing,” to upset-“No one told me about this!” He was getting more and more upset, so I had to sidetrack him. I started talking about what was on the TV (some divorce court show) and that made him think about the orphanage and his family. Better than him feeling anxious over a move, but I do worry a little, as he keeps saying he thinks all his brothers and sisters are dead. Sad, really.

Anyway, I had to leave at 3 this time to pick up Will and Dahlia, but my cousin was there. I left him with a snack and some water, against my better judgement. He had water to drink earlier, and had been up and down ever since having to go to the bathroom. I just hope he found the bathroom ok after I left…

The rest of Day 6

So, here is the rest of day 6, as the title suggests. But first, of course, some links. The first link is yet another promising discovery. Remember the proteins from a past link? The ones that build up in the Alzheimer’s sufferers brains? Well those proteins cause the activation of the “neutral sphingomyelinase” in the brain and this, in turn, causes neuronal loss. By halting the activation on the neutral sphingomyelinase, researchers hope to be able to halt the progression of the disease. The second one is good one. It goes to the Alzheimer’s page of the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke website. It has not only basic information, but also information regarding treatment, research, and clinical trials.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/health/2010-09/22/c_13523977.htm

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/alzheimersdisease/alzheimersdisease.htm

So, where were we yesterday? Ah, yes, he had just turned it to back to the Wendy Williams show. Will has suggested that he likes watching this channel to stare at the pretty girls, lol. If that’s what he wants, then who am I to argue? Anyway, he complained quite a bit about his knees hurting him. I told him I would call my mother. We talked about the weather bothering his knees for a little while, then he had a snack. For lunch I made fried spam, chips, and chocolate pudding. We then settled back down to watch some more television. He never did want another snack, so I think the fried spam must have filled him up, lol! When I was doing a load of dishes, we tried to turn up the tv, and couldn’t find the remote control, so I went to just turn it up at the tv, and that didn’t work. So we couldn’t turn the volume up. Bummer. And the dish washer is loud.

Overall, he definitely seems to be doing a little better than last week. He does repeat himself more, but that is better than this time last week; he was hardly talking. I think he is repeating himself more because he is actually aware enough to want conversation! This week, he also is doing more things for himself like pouring his own coffee yesterday, putting some of his dishes away (I usually get the plates when he doesn’t eat all of his food), and finding the bathroom, although he does sometimes need a reminder. And he kept asking me what time it was and where Nonnie was, all afternoon long, but that is good, too. He is aware enough now to notice she is gone! Whenever I would tell him that Nonnie was at work, and then what time it was, he would say “Oh, she’s gonna be gone for awhile, then” or “She should be home soon.” So, all in all, I would say that this is definitely an improvement! Let’s hope that it sticks!

Day 5, and the beginning of Day 6

Ok, sorry everyone. I had a big paper to finish last night and didn’t have time to blog. I hope everyone had a good weekend. I did. I am going to start out with a couple links, again. The first one is for those of you who aren’t old, yet, lol. It is a small article on how diet can help contribute to a healthy brain. If you have a parent who suffers from Alzheimer’s, you probably are not only worried about them, but also your own future. Will your kids have to watch you go through this? Knowing how hard it is for you, how hard will it be for your loved ones? While they are making advances all the time, put your future in your own hands. Take better care of yourself today, and lower your risk of suffering from Alzheimer’s, for yourself, for those you love. The second link is to a page that describes how a woman “cured” her husband with a low carb diet and a special supplement. Now, I am sort of a believer in the low carb diet for some people, such as those with PCOS and diabetes, but I am not convinced that a low carb diet can “cure” Alzheimer’s, and I am always a little suspicious of “new” or “little known” supplements. While I can believe that the diet and supplement may have improved and slowed the progression of the disease, I am not convinced it was an actual cure. Read the article and tell me what you think.

http://www.alz.org/we_can_help_adopt_a_brain_healthy_diet.asp

http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/can-you-heal-alzheimers-with-diet-and-supplements-nita-scoggan-did/8782

Now, on to the daily biz. Yesterday was day 5. I made him scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast. Lol, he didn’t like my eggs, but then again, neither do my husband and daughter! He needed help locating his shaving supplies and the bathroom again. At one point, he went to go out the backdoor and I reminded him of the dog being out there. He said “Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. I was going to go out and go to the bathroom.” So I showed him where it was and he went. He had a snack of tea and cookies, and then later, for lunch, I made him a peanut butter sandwich, some chips, and half an apple. We watched the same channel again. I asked him a few times (as did Will) if he wanted some sports or history documentaries. He said no again. Around 3:15 or so, I made him a PM snack of grapes and a pink snowball thing (one of those pink coconut cream puffs). Then Dahlia and Will arrived, and Dahlia talked to him a little bit, and we left to go run some bank errands. A little earlier than I usually do, but my cousin was there, so I was not concerned.

That was yesterday. Today, it is day 6, a little after 10 am. When I arrived, he had actually poured himself his first cup of coffee, and soon after poured himself another. That is an improvement, as far as I am concerned! I then made him breakfast-oatmeal and grapes. I didn’t do so good at the oatmeal. He kept saying how terrible it was, so I added some sugar. After than, he ate most of it. I thought it would be a nice healthy breakfast, and a nice change from the norm. While he was shaving, I sneakily changed to channel to the History channel…but as I am typing this, he has changed it back to Wendy Williams! When I asked him, he said it was better than the channel we had it on a second ago…which is odd, because when they were discussing WW II and some different guns a bit ago, he seemed rather interested. I guess he missed Ms. Wendy, lol. I guess tomorrow I will try sports…they are talking about estrogen and periods on the Wendy show…I doubt he wants to hear that, lol.

Well, I am going to go and get on with the day. I will post the rest of the day either this evening or tomorrow morning. I hope you enjoy the links!

Day 3 and 4, and some more links…

   Since I didn’t have time to catch up yesterday, I will catch up today. But first, some links! The first is another Psych Central link. It is over how a protein released in arthritis has been shown to reverse some alzheimer’s system in rats. Promisingly, people with arthritis are less likely to suffer from alzheimer’s which means that we can expect the same results in humans. The second link is to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2010 Memory Walk page. I am planning on walking myself, inspired by my aunt, Jennifer, who is also walking.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/09/16/protein-released-in-arthritis-reverses-alzheimers/18129.html

http://www.alz.org/memorywalk/

   Now, onward to how the past two days have went:

   Both days have been good. He has shown some improvement. Now, it is quite possible that this is just the ebb and flow of the symptoms that happens with all victims of alzheimer’s. However, I am hoping it has more to do with the fact that he is having some conversation during the day, and it is certain now that he is taking his medications.

Yesterday, I was worried when I first arrived. I knocked and waited for a few minutes. No answer, nor did I hear any movement. So I rang the doorbell, and waited some more. Still no answer. I waited for about 10 minutes. I noticed my parents were home and went to get my mother to let me in. By the time we’d walked back over, he was standing in the yard looking around with the door open, and my cousin had also just pulled up (sorry, Mom!). We went on in and started him on brakfast. He did better with things such as finding the bathroom and his shaving stuff, and he was even taking his own dishes to the sink and putting them away. I let him because I was getting the idea that he was starting to figure out why I was there, and I think it sort of bothered him a bit that to understand that he needed that assistance. And I think that doing some of those things on his own made him feel better. For lunch, we had pizza (my cousin, too!), and I felt a little guilty because even though he seemed to enjoy it, I think it gave him heartburn. He did seem a little grumpy, though…whether that was from heartburn or the fact that I had my laptop out doing some homework, I don’t know. Maybe he felt ignored…

Today (day 4) was even better. No problems getting in, really. Although he didn’t want to let me in the door until I said I was making his breakfast, lol. That was just like the old Papa, always kidding around! He ate almost everything on his plate (I nuked one of his microwave dinners, but then put it on a plate to make it look tastier), and only  left the mushy hashbrowns. We watched some tv, and a little while later had some ice cream. He napped on and off while I tidied up a bit, and then a couple hours after the ice cream, we had lunch; sandwiches and fruit salad. He really enjoyed the fruit salad and ate his whole lunch. Then we talked about when he and his brothers and sisters were in the orphanage. He was told me that his mother  had gotten ill and died and his father had placed them in the orphanage because he couldn’t take care of all of them. He first said that his father had visited every day, then he said every weekend. He then said he there were 4 of them (the kids), then 5. He also told me about how after his father had remarried, they went and took the kids out of the orphanage. He told me this story several times before I sidetracked him by asking where he’d met my grandmother…he looked at me awhile, and laughed and said he didn’t remember, but that he knew it was after he had gotten out of the navy. We then watched some more tv before he came into the kitchen and said he was hungry. I was rather surpised at this, as I have been having to ask him all week if he was hungry or thirsty. So I made him a snack and we sat at the table and talked some more about kids and parents and how they should treat each other, and about how he missed driving. Today, again, he put most of his own dishes away and found the bathroom ok. He only said once he didn’t know if he had shaving stuff, and when I told him he did, he went and shaved. The only difficulties (and I say difficulties only for lack of a better word, there really weren’t a problem at all) today were minor. He had some trouble putting his polo back on over his undershirt (I think he’d taken it off to shave), and then at one point during one of our conversations, he just started staring off into space. For about 5 minutes, he didn’t seem to hear me or even realize I was there.

On a side note, I have to laugh at the crazy amount of ice cream and bags of marshmallows in their fridge and freezer. Lol, there are at least 5 ice cream cartons of various sizes and 3-4 bags of marshmallows. I think I shall bring some chocolate and graham crackers next week!

Day 2 and some links…

   I would like to start off this post with a couple links. Both are from Psychcentral.com, a website I like a lot. It talks about various psychological issues (as one could probably tell from the name), and many are near and dear to my heart. The first link is simply an informational link, that gives a good overview of the disease itself and treatment options. The second link is about a molecule they have found that has shown promise in fighting Alzheimer’s.

• http://psychcentral.com/disorders/alzheimers/
• http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/09/10/scientists-find-special-molecule-that-helps-fight-alzheimers-parkinsons/17904.html

   Now, on to days 2 and 3. I should have explained when I posted yesterday evening that I was actually a day behind. Blame it on school, lol. So, today is technically day 3, but I will be posting for day 2. I will try to post again this evening about today, in order to catch it up, but we’ll see how it goes.

   Breakfast went pretty much the same as day 1-he didn’t know I was coming, he didn’t like his breakfast…although today, I warmed it up in the microwave and he ate it a little better. He was up and down alot, going to the front door to look out either the peep hole or to open it and stare outside. He went to the backdoor a few times, and expressed regret that he couldn’t play with Trigger (my cousin’s dog) because he knew the dog would knock him over. He found his shaving stuff on his own today, and shaved. He missed a spot and even went back and reshaved it.

   Around 10:30 or so, he had a snack and some tea. For lunch a little later, I made him a sandwich (bologne, cheese, and lettuce), some grapes, and some fritos. He actually ate every bit, I was surprised. I guess it was a nice change after having lunchables everyday…that’s really the only thing my grandmother could do for him for lunches. He can’t really make his own lunch, and she can’t very well make him something before she goes to work, because then it will sit out all day. I think that not only is it nice for him to have someone to talk to when he feels like talking, but I think it is also good for him to have someone to help with meals and stuff. I am also pretty sure he wasn’t drinking enough liquids. He always seems parched, and so I try to make sure that he always has some tea, coke, or water. Especially water.

   I also wonder about whether or not he was eating much before. Whenever I ask if he wants a drink, a snack, or lunch, he tells me that he doesn’t think they have anything. I almost have to laugh because my grandmother keeps a good assortment of food and snacks for him. She even has some trail mix set out for him, but he never touches it. I am not sure he realizes it is there. Or perhaps he prefers sweet snacks, lol. My worry is that if he always thinks they don’t have anything, was he eating enough before? I suppose we will find out soon. I hope that my being here and making sure he has food and drinks in front of him will improve his health a little. Not that he seems as if he is starving or anything, lol…I just know that good nutrition is always a helpful thing.

   When Will and Dahlia (my husband and daughter) came to pick me up, Dahlia played hide and seek with him, lol. She seems to understand, and always hides in the same spot, under the kitchen table. He really only has to walk a few steps to the middle of the room and say “I see you!” Then he “hides” behind his hands and she “finds” him.  It’s nice to see him enjoying himself…I wish I could figure out something else for him to do besides watch Wendy Williams, Access Hollywood, and Judge Judy during the day.

Until next time!

-Heather