Goals and Bucket List for 2017

Highlights of the 2016 year include putting two new raps on YouTube ("While You're Still One" and "Rocket City Ditty"); finishing the dissertation "Finishing Strong With Dementia Caregiving", except I have to defend it; and walking again after breaking both feet in August.

Cast and boot in August

So what are my new goals that 

you all can hold me accountable for?

Technology

• Get a Fire Tablet or borrow an iPad for the Skype defense of my dissertation
• Learn self-checkout at Wal-Mart

Health

• My weight is on a plateau, but I do go to Weight Watchers so I didn't gain back the 40 pounds I have lost. Lose 10 to 15 pounds to add to weight I have kept off.
• Use walker when ice outside so I do not fall again.
• Use the gym at my apartment three times a week.

Spiritual

• 2017 Bible Reading Plan

http://www.bibleclassmaterial.com/BibleReadingSchedule2017forBCM.pdf

• Consistent prayer life. Ask others how can I pray for you. Continue going to my church prayer meetings once a week.
• Encourage others--give them warm fuzzies and only constructive criticism when asked or if wise.
• Visit the residents at the nursing home where I stayed for three weeks. 
• Join the church in Huntsville I am active in.

Intellectual

• Defend dissertation successfully.
• Read more books. 

Recreation/fun

• Visit sights in Alabama and maybe elsewhere. 
• Read novels.
• Find TV shows to enjoy. I really didn't watch TV much as a caregiver for my late husband.
• Wear hats to church often.
• Enjoy Southern culture.

Organizing

• Paper decluttering
• Clothes--get rid go them and only wear what looks good on me
• Kitchen--only keep what I use

Financial

• Consolidate four credit cards for a lower rate and pay off as much as I can this year. Used credit too much during my caregiving years.
• Save
• Use IRA withdrawal for dog Ziggy’s operation, etc.
• No new credit cards

How about you?

Do you have similar goals?

Downsizing to a U-Haul

Roberto at Lakeland's U-Haul

Roberto thought I was a spry senior citizen and not an old fogie because I used an iPhone and had a blog. Little did he know. The U-Haul office was not busy and so I showed him just how spry this senior citizen is--I rapped for him while I reserved a U-Haul.

Now Roberto promised that I would receive a confirmation earlier in the week--found out later it was supposed to be on Wednesday.

Lots on my plate--downsizing and moving to live by family. Months before I cling to Romans 12:12:

• Hope
• Patience and endurance with downsizing
• Constant prayer

Two weeks before I realize I have to focus on one day at a time (and not everything I had to do) and Matthew 6:34 from New Living Translation helps:

So don’t worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will bring its own worries.

Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The house is sold and not longer do I have to maintain it to show. The boxes multiply as I use many days to substitute teach and free time at home to pack.

June 1, my last day substituting, is very special at Tomlin Middle and of course I rap at the end of every class and tell the students who didn't know all about my YouTube legacy of raps. See HERE.

Tuesday through Friday at least four hours per day my friends Sally and Jake come over and help me pack.  Sally would call Jake over to help her seal each box and he would bring those heavy boxes to the proper place. Sally packs breakables with newspapers into my recycled boxes. Sectioned liquor boxes from Walmart and The Winery in Plant City are so helpful with those breakable items. Gradually clothes get packed into large tubs for "seasonal clothes". Summer clothes go in huge boxes to make wrinkles I will deal with at the other end of the move. My winter coats, two mirrors and other items are already in Huntsville at my brother's house.

Friday Panic.  Friday is the day before the volunteers are coming to pack the van. I call Kerry from my church and tell her of my panic and also health news on Kenny. She puts out an email prayer request for the church. She also mentions the virtues of a 24 foot U-Haul instead of a 20 foot one I am supposed to get. I asked "Surrey" on my iPhone to call U-Haul on Florida Avenue in Lakeland, thinking I would get Roberto. I have not received a confirmation call! Where in Plant City do I pick up the U-Haul?

Instead I get Greg at another U-Haul at another Florida Avenue U-Haul location. Greg who sees my reservation on line, is able to switch my reservation to a 24 foot U-Haul. It wouldn't be delivered to Plant City as Roberto had promised, but I could get it that very night for the same price instead of the Saturday morning 20 foot U-Haul. I call Kerry with the good news and she enlists her husband Dave to go with me to get the van at 6:30 pm. Their son, Sam, always my buddy, comes along for the ride. Dave skillfully puts the van by my garage.  I am so glad he figures out where to put that van. I wasn't sure if it should be by the front door or not.

Back to earlier on Friday.  After those important phone calls Friday morning, I go to Bank of America to see Lisa, "my personal banker" I wrote about HERE. I had arranged my 10 am appointment on line and we close my checking account. (Huntsville doesn't have a Bank of America.) Then I go to my dentist for a gum treatment to save me from false teeth. The hygienist reminds me about water picks and flossing--two items I had neglected during the last two hectic caregiving years. On my way home I stop at Staples to turn in printer and copier cartridges to recycle. I happen to see seven small plastic containers on sale for $7 and I purchase them to replace my wicker baskets in the bathroom. See HERE. Those containers are efficient for first aid, etc., and can easily go into a box ready for my new bathroom and take less space than my baskets take were I to pack them.

Sure enough, when I start to pack up the bathroom, I find that water pick and plan to use it in Huntsville. Friday afternoon Sally picks up Jake at the senior center. Then Sally helps me sort through my fabric,  while Jake helps box things up again. I can donate maybe 40% of the fabric for the quilting group at Sally's church where I also went to Grief & Share.  See HERE.

Saturday morning. Kenny gets out of the hospital Friday night and Saturday morning he stops by to see his friends from church. He is too weak to help. He has lost blood and will undergo tests to discover why next week. See HERE. Newly installed Deacons JP and Kevin pray very special prayers for him. Pray for Kenny, folks. 

From 10:30 to 3:00 pm four strong men (Jason, Dave, JP, Kevin), resourceful Amanda, and six energetic youth packed the van. They start with the upright freezer, take a utility room door off, and move it with  a rented U-Haul appliance dolly; this freezer will fit in my eat-in-kitchen in my Huntsville apartment. Next comes my antique couch, reupholstered in the late '70s with the leg that keeps coming off when you move it. In the van they put pillows between four machines on the seats of that couch: small TV, microwave, printer, and copier. Boxes of books are interspersed among numbered furniture items. Those numbers will help placement of furniture at the other end. China and other items marked FRAGILE were put on top of boxes and furniture. All boxes have the name of the room where they should land in the new apartment.

Dog Ziggy. Yes, that is dog Ziggy on my lap in the picture above. You wonder what the canine has been thinking, but he has been staying by my side. Saturday night and Sunday night we get to sleep together in that single bed I got to sleep by the hospital bed. Pharis will get that bed and other items left behind.

Tomorrow morning (Monday) I will pick up my Huntsville brother in Orlando and bring him to that van. We will take Monday and Tuesday to drive to Huntsville with Ziggy and I following in my car. Ziggy has already seen his bed and cage in the back seat of the car. The third seat area and trunk area has miscellaneous items.

Follow trip to Huntsville on my 

Facebook LIKE page 

by clicking on the above link at the right. 

The Making of a 70-Year-Old YouTube Rapper

I rap at the end
of good classes.

In 2009 I wrote one poem I started saying when I substitute taught in public schools --"Longing to Chat on the Front Porch With You." That poem is in my book and talks about the importance of talking face-to-face rather than using all these media. Those 2009 students I substituted for told me it was a "rap". I barely knew what a rap was, but I wrote more raps. My late husband would enjoy my practice performances at home whenever I wrote them. I miss his encouragement.

Several adults in my acquaintance have told me they don't like the genre of rap. However  students encouraged me since because they want to hear me rap at the end of classes when I substitute teach. You see students have to have a reason to be good for a substitute and it works for me. I don't have to rap for adults.

When I got an idea, I would write a rap and memorize it. The practice was saying them over and over for a week of teaching in different classrooms. Soon I had over a dozen raps memorized. Students trained me in rapping and showed me how to move with my rap.

My Huntsville, Alabama niece and nephew decided in 2013 to put me on YouTube. They gave me the rapper name of "MC AC The Rap Lady. " It turns out that MC is the title of a rapper, or the "emcee" who has the microphone. AC is the name they have always called me--Aunt Carol. My niece produced a clever ad video and "Cursive Writing". A year later when I visited Huntsville my niece helped me produce "Cell Phones" on my Mac Mini computer, hoping I could take over putting raps on YouTube myself because my niece is very busy.

The challenge was that I had to learn iMovie to be able to put up more YouTube videos. I put off that challenge while taking care of my late husband.

Last spring I bought lessons for a year from Apple in Brandon and I think it was $99 for unlimited lessons for a year. After my husband died, I was free to work on the project. I would bring in my box holding my Mac Mini hard drive to the Apple store in the mall. Could I learn iMovie? What about GarageBand to add beats to the raps? Hour sessions at Apple still didn't make me a producer, although I did learn more about my computer.

Rapping put a smile on people's faces and as a recent widow, one Friday night I rapped with a backup of a band in downtown Lakeland. See Rapping in Downtown Lakeland. Our Toastmaster booth was right across from this band, so I had the nerve to walk over there and tell them that I was a rapper and could I perform one rap with their backup.

Later last summer people in my Lakeland Toastmaster's Club were invited to a networking business meeting in Tampa. Since I was no longer a caregiver, I ventured out. When I was introduced, I had to tell about my lowly job as a substitute teacher and the fact I am a rapper. After this networking meeting, one man told me about Rody Davis, a young college student who could produce my raps for YouTube. I called Rody in Alabama of all places and we agreed to meet when he came back into town. He not only takes college classes, but for several years Rody has had the prestigious position as a Sound Engineer for the college. When he came back for college, I met him at his college studio and he recorded ten raps which he agreed to produce for me for only $400.

Ten raps were finished last week and I gave him the $400 in cash. I wonder how many hours were really clocked on this project and I really appreciate Rody's faith in my rapping. He said it was fun for him to do.

Rody Davis

Rody enlisted his roommate Travis Smith to put visuals to the project. Travis has access to many visuals he has purchased. 

Travis and Rody

So Friday night, March 27th, 5:30 PM, here I was at the college studio again ready to become a YouTube rapper with ten more raps. I brought my MacMini computer from which we thought we could be able to add to MCACProductions1, the ten newly-produced raps. It turns out that Rody found my YouTube playlist where he uploaded the ten raps. Now, mind you, I didn't see these videos first. Within about an hour these were loaded onto a file on my hard drive and my YouTube playlist--but not that channel. Travis and Rody were ready for dates with their girlfriends and I went home ready to view these ten raps. 

Rody and Travis did a great job--I couldn't have produced these, nor had the insight into beats and visuals for raps. It takes a younger generation to make the wisdom of an aged rapper come alive. (Some of my raps are silly, but some have sound wisdom.)

Monday night I spent an hour of One-on-One professional time at Apple in Brandon. We just couldn't crack to code to get them up to the original channel. That was a shame, because MCACProductions1 has had over 5000 views on its three videos and over 120 subscribers!

I came home totally frustrated. People could go to my personal YouTube playlist and see them, but also see other videos I had downloaded. I texted my friend Sherry and she called me and listened to all my stress with this rapping business, with being a widow and with selling the house. We prayed. 

Our prayers took wings and I did the next thing, staying up over midnight to accomplish a new channel since Apple had taught me about YouTube. I used my new skills to create a logical YouTube Channel, MC AC The Rap Lady, the name I write on the white board under Mrs. Johnson when I substitute teach. I was able to upload nine of the ten videos on this channel I created. I put MCACProductions1 under channel on this new site. 

MC AC The Rap Lady --new channel

The tenth rap called "Pizzazz" will be uploaded sometime in April. 

So this is the story of how I became a YouTube rapper. Subscribe to the new channel above and share if you like. 

MC AC The Rap Lady

Not My Problem?

NOT MY PROBLEM? 

Romans 12:10-15 reads: 
Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 
not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 
rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, 
continuing steadfastly in prayer; 
distributing to the needs of the saints, 
given to hospitality. 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

There is so much physical and mental suffering out there. Some people are grieving the loss of a loved one due to disease or accidental death. So many causes to support and people to care about and pray about. Sometimes we miss that suffering and just concentrate on our own family and our own issues. We want to be happy after all. Why care about . . .

• Cancer research is a big one. Wear pink. Many times cancer research gets big bucks because people with Alzheimer's often die of other causes. Nonetheless, let's support both cancer and Alzheimer's research. 
• Problems with asbestos. Heather send me an email to feature asbestos problems HERE.
• Mental and physical abuse by others. Human trafficking. Horrible scars. 
• Loneliness.  

which can lead to

• Depression. See HERE for what you can do. 
• Autism. This can be a hard one for families. 
  

• Whooping cough. Saw this poster at the right at the mall telling us to get vaccinated. Praying for some children who have whooping cough now.
• Addictions of various sorts. I teach a class about once a month for DUI offenders and we discuss those substance addictions. 

We saw the movie "God Is Not Dead" Thursday night. A lead character has a mother with Alzheimer's in that movie. That mother didn't remember her son and daughter. In the movie the daughter was attentive, but the son wasn't. The mother loved chicken and would request it every night. My hubby is getting like that--favorite foods. I asked him about the scenes with the mother in the movie and her poor memory. He didn't remember that scene. The next morning he didn't remember the movie.

Yes, I mainly write about dementia issues here, but LORD forgive me for not caring and reaching out to others with other needs.

I do know that my husband's faith shows when his memory doesn't and he cares about issues that he sees in the moment and we can pray together in the moment. You should have heard his prayer Monday at the restaurant when we took Kenny out for his birthday. It was as if he never had vascular dementia or Alzheimer's. As Sally and I learned in an Alzheimer's workshop yesterday, the soul doesn't get Alzheimer's.



Let's remember that our ALZHEIMER'S caregiving is not the only issue out there. Above all, let's heed the call of the LORD on our lives before we get Alzheimer's or some other dementia when we cannot heed His call.

Carol

What's Been Working Here, Folks

Next month we will have been married for 14 years. Dementia has been around since 2008. This cartoon from Pinterest board is us, although I don't have a cane and I color my hair to look younger and give it more body. Hubby doesn't get shaved every day also and he used to be a little taller than I am. He is frail now and I guess you would describe me as a spunkly old lady. So how is it working for us?

1. Help from others. We are so blessed that volunteer caregiver Kenny lives nearby and comes over at least once a day.  Pharis is our volunteer for yard and maintenance. Kenny will text me when there is a problem. He will change the TV channel for hubby, because at his stage of dementia, he doesn't use those remote controls. See HERE. Because I have Kenny, I can keep working to pay the bills which include a car payment now. March 24-29 I have 4 1/2 days of substitute teaching and Saturday for teaching a class for DUI offenders.

2. Routines. Kenny established routines for shaving and showering and continues to make valuable suggestions. When Kenny will be gone for three weeks, I will be the one to use these routines and I have taken careful note. I do seem to carry with me the wife nag factor, so it will be more difficult for me. Taking morning pills in the bedroom works for me because Kenny established that routine which I mainly carry out now. At this point I put a pill in hubby's mouth and instruct him to swallow it with water. If I don't get the morning pills for hubby accomplished and have to leave the house, I text or call Kenny who sees that hubby gets his morning pills.

3. Help from a chiropractor whom hubby sees every two weeks. Now hubby can walk fairly well, although he has that old person's hobble. Alzheimer's expert Teepa Snow even imitated how my husband walks.

4. Simple, affirmative dialogue. Have learned to get in front of hubby.  I often tell him I love him, and I do mean it. It seems that love takes enriching turns as the disease progresses. I know hubby would be there for me if the situation were reversed.

5. Simplifying life wherever and whenever possible. Perfectionism is absolutely gone in life as I approach my 70th year in June. Shaving my husband's whole head means we don't have to visit the barber now. Planning errands for the week rather than for the crisis moment. Have a car appointment on Monday--so won't teach that day.

6. Friends Sally and Jake. It is so pleasant to go to dinner with them as we did recently at Olive Garden, using a coupon. The husbands sit across from us and Sally and I can chat to the side. The guys turn up their humor when together. Jake is so wonderful helping hubby walk as he walks alongside of him just as Kenny does.

7. Soliciting prayer from others.

8. Realizing that this is exactly what the LORD in His providence has in mind for us and He will see us through. My husband is going downhill, and I thank God for every good day knowing that it is and will be getting worse.

Carol

Traveling With a Dementia Loved One

Sunday dinner after church
with brother, hubby
and Kenny pictured at
Grandmother's House
Restaurant in
Owens Crossing, AL

Kenny, hubby and myself went to northern Alabama to visit my brother and his family. We started out on a Saturday, March 7th, with Kenny sharing the driving and the load of caregiving for my husband and came back on Thursday, yesterday. This year we drove straight through both days. In March of 2013 my husband and I made it a two-day trip each way. See HERE. We didn't know Kenny then, and hubby had not gone downhill as much as this March.

We woke in our own bed this morning. I started unpacking suitcases. What are those suitcases for? hubby wanted to know. He had forgotten about our trip.

Freshly groomed dog

We just got back from being at my brother's house in Alabama, was my reply. Hubby got a quizzical look on his face. Later today we picked up our dog from the kennel.

Wear and Tear on Hubby. While this trip was wonderful for me, it was hard on hubby. He had a calendar with the daily events on it, but let me know I didn't make sense. At times he was angry with me, but I have learned to stay calm. Bathroom issues came up--where was it and would he get there in time. This was not his home, the place he is used to. However, my brother and sister-in-law's home does have a convenient elevator that was so useful for my husband. He did fall Sunday morning, but was okay when Kenny and my brother got him up from the garden.

Family. I had a couple of goals for my time away. First and foremost I wanted to enjoy my family, and that did happen. Who knows when I will be able to see them again? Several nights my niece and nephew came over to my brother's home along with their families.  Kenny interacted seamlessly with my family who really came to appreciate him.

Activities. At times Kenny stayed with my husband while I did things with my family. Kenny stayed with hubby while I heard a special violin concert by a four-year-old, daughter of my niece and her husband. Another highlight was hearing my nephew teach an adult class Wednesday night at his church while Kenny was with my husband.  One day  Kenny went off sight-seeing with our car, and hubby missed Kenny. I was able to get a lot of sewing done that day. I wanted to be able to sew on a quilt of my husband's grandchild's and I was able to finish the patched front side with my sister-in-law's sewing machine. My time at home is so limited and getting to sew on an important project was such a delight. When this quilt is done, I will post in here.

YouTube Raps. This is the niece and nephew that made me MC AC The Rap Lady on YouTube. My nephew recorded three more of my raps while I was there, and my niece showed me how to use iMovie to post raps on You Tube. Together we posted "Cell Phones". Now the ball is in my court to put up more raps. It will be hard work, but my niece and nephew really do not have time to do this. I have the computer now that has iMovie. Can an old lady such as myself learn iMovie?! Hope so!

Honor. Early in the time away on my iPhone email I realized that my book, Getting Off the Niceness Treadmill, had been reviewed by a favorite author, Aimee Byrd, HERE. What an honor! I posted posts of her book on my theological blog earlier.

New Fellowship. A special highlight of the trip was the fellowship I had in a ladies Sunday School class at my brother's church. The teacher had read my book and the ladies wanted to hear me rap as I had last March! I did that and essentially the leader let me teach the class. I did have Scriptures ready. I shared prayer requests for my husband, my dissertation on caregiving and the rapping channel. Then they shared prayer requests with me. We will keep up with one another. Tuesday morning while Kenny was with hubby, my sister-in-law and I had breakfast with most of those ladies (there are seven in all whose prayer requests I have added to my prayers). Then my sister-in-law and I went to an estate sale where I found a bird house for Jake's collection.

Prayer. Pray for Kenny as he has medical issues coming up. Pray for my other sister-in-law in California who had surgery today. Prayer is such a special privilege and I am excited to have seven ladies in Alabama who now pray for my requests in their southern accepts and MC AC prays for them as well.

Blogging and Prayers

1. 
   

   (In)Courage blog put out prayer requests. I prayed for someone and typed the prayer, and then added my own prayer request. Below you see my prayer request and how leanney prayed for me. 

2. Also, please pray for my journey as a caregiver for my husband who has dementia and walking difficulties. The walking is improving, but he is going into a hallucination stage now and I need wisdom for how to handle this. Will be blogging about this. Also pray for my counseling dissertation on being a caregiver–a situation I am living out. Pray that I accept the road ahead, bear the burden than He has given me with His strength.
3. 28
   leanney says:

   NOV 3, 2013 AT 9:58 AM
   Dear Heavenly Father,
   I pray that you will bring daily courage to Carol. Losing a loved one to dementia is a heartbreaking experience. I pray that you fill her heart with love and peace and she so unselfishly loves and provides for her husband.
4. So, how can I pray for you? 

Senior Health: Thyroid Nodule

In the 1980s I had Graves Disease, or hypothyroidism. I was treated with radioactive iodine and too much of my thyroid was taken out. Consequently I have had to have thyroid pills, currently 100 MCG of Levothyroxine for some thirty years. Maybe 15 years ago I had to have a thyroid biopsy for the nodule and it was benign. That nodule has shown up last fall in a hospital visit, and May 7th when I also took two other tests. Good news is that my bone density is good, although I am shorter than I used to be. No problems on my mammogram either. But the thyroid needs further testing.

Since May 14th I have not been taking thyroid medicine. June 17th I will have my second test on the thyroid to determine what the nodule is and I was told  that in addition to not take the thyroid pills, to not take fish oil tablets, and to not consume fish.

Before May 14th I would blog several times a week. I would work on the house and write on blogs and attend to hubby.  I do not have the energy to write this up as I usually would do. I am very tired. Now I see myself slowing down and hoping that I do not gain back weight I was happy I lost. My blood pressure seems good, but my stamina is gone. I need those pills, apparently, but the doctors want to see what else is going on and so for over a month I will not have thyroid medicine until we see what is going on with my thyroid and with that nodule. I have nine more days of substitute teaching booked through June 7th and three Saturdays teaching a class for DUI offenders. I know this is a small problem, but do appreciate your prayers.

Carol

Some Answers



www.thirdageservices.com

Carole Larkin of ThirdAge Services (www.thirdageservices.com) to the rescue! Carole has been reading my blog, wrote on it recently and realized the complexities of the questions I was asking here. She is a social media friend I met on the Alzheimer's Reading Room some time back. I "liked" her site on Facebook and had a chance to actually chat with her on Facebook yesterday just when I needed it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Me: I put questions on Plant City Lady and Friends last post and I think that I need to change from Preferred Care at the end of the year.

Carole Larkin: I'm reading your blogspot now.

Me: My husband's primary care physician is not very good with dementia, I think. I am writing my seminary counseling dissertation on caregiving and he doesn't seem to realize as much as I am learning.

Carole Larkin:  You are right. The majority of primary care physicians are useless with dementia. That's why I keep harping on going to a geriatrician, neurologist or a geriatric psychiatrist. All would be good choices, Carol.

Me: I have to wait to change my plan in 2014.

Carole Larkin: Changing from Preferred Care is absolutely the right thing to do. You will get more and longer services on Straight Medicare D and a Supplemental Medicare policy. There are medical insurance specials (brokers handling a lot of different companies) that will find you the best deal for both of you at the cheapest price.  

Me: I do need help. It's not working here as I wrote on my last blog post yesterday.

Carole Larkin: A geriatric care manager could not only answer your questions for you, but also give you guidance on what to do in the future, and give you the specific names of resources you need to solve your problems. In addition to all that, they would find out what was at the bottom of the runaround you are getting from everyone (hospital, Dr., insurance).  The Geriatric care manager is a professional and knows what's going on, and they could really get in trouble if they've screwed up. Carol, I'm telling you, you'd save money, time and STRESS using one of them. I'd suggest either an RN or a Social Worker.

Me: And how to I find one? I mean I don't keep phone books anymore and the Internet has so many sites these days.

Carole Larkin: Just try the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers/GCM Specialist. http://www.caremanager.org/

Me: Wonderful! Can I put this on my blog?

Carole Larkin: Of course you can. Do me this favor though. Put my business website (www.thirdageservices.com)
on it because there I tell people that I do telephone and email consults just like I'm doing for you now.

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have spotted three Geriatric Care Managers in Lakeland and when I get our tax return I will go and hire one of them. Preferred Care with its Vision and Dental works well for me, but not for my husband at this stage of dementia.

It is now a week since hubby first started on antibiotics and Imodium for his UTI (Urinary Tract Infection). He is so much better. He finally showered and I helped him shave off his thick beard. My neighbor, Kenny, volunteer caregiver while I am out of the house, and I have noticed the difference each day. (An interview of Kenny will be coming on this blog.)

Hubby and I went to the movie "42" last night. DH got all choked up at the appropriate spots. He slowly ate a hotdog with mustard and relish. I relished having my husband back and going to church with him today. Giving him lots of Pediatric Electrolyte and cranberry juice to prevent dehydration and further UTI infections. Have to develop a cranberry bread with coconut oil as well, and I will share the recipe here.

Besides Carole Larkin, special thanks also to others who emailed me suggestions, texted my cell and of course all of you prayer warriors out there. It takes a village to be a caregiver/lovegiver for family with dementia.  

Senior Citizen Complains About Technological Change

They already know my name, why do they need my email password?

Invalid username and/or password. Please enter your email password, not your LinkedIn account password.

So I get a notice that I didn't respond to _______'s request on LinkedIn six days ago. It looks like in the above picture there are 26 other things I missed. So LinkedIn will let me respond to her if I give them my email password. Are you kidding! Then they can spam all my email friends!  Let's see where this LinkedIn complaint goes. The most popular post on Plant City Lady and Friends with 2515 this morning is my complaint about an ad for "Brain Health and Memory Kit " here, LinkedIn--are you listening?  

It is so complicated these days. You almost need a chart for:

• Friends who only do Facebook
• Friends who only do Facebook games
• Friends who do Facebook chat and messaging only
• Friends who tweet on Twitter (I certainly do not)
• Friends who only text
• Friends who only do email
• Friends who say they do not read blogs after you spend time on a post and wonder if you should just do the extra step of copying it for them and putting it in an e-mail
• Friends who say just call but their message line is full because they don't return calls
• Friends who have several phone numbers and you forget which one to use
• Friends with a combination of the above
• Friends who don't understand how difficult it is to talk on the phone with the Alzheimer's hubby present and why blogging and texting is cool for me

I can hear the music in my head.  "Who ya gonna call?" and the answer in the old film is "Ghostbusters". But now it is how do I contact someone? Can't you just come over and chat on the front porch?

I do need prayer today with specific requests and for

the really difficult journey of caregivng for an Alzheimer’s husband.

And there are specific things you can do for us. 

   

Carol

Check the Manual, Check the Playbook

Several years ago Linda Fisher wrote a post on hearing Coach Broyles and his family. The Coach has a Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers.See  http://earlyonset.blogspot.com/2010/04/bring-past-to-presentcoach-broyles.html

That playbook looked like a book I needed to read. Fortunately Karen later sent it to me. Karen's mom passes away from Alzheimer's and this book had helped her. We met when I started writing on her blog and she wrote here.

Playbook. Linda writes that the family treat each repeat question with respect as if it were the first question. Yep, I do that. I let my husband initiate conversations so I don't frustrate him. I prayed last night because it was my turn to pray on even days. Then he asked me to pray again because he forgot that I had. This was my precious time to tell our LORD new praise and requests even though I had prayed several minutes ago. We always hold hands when we pray at night.  I am writing my own playbook on what works with him.

Romans 8:1,9,16,17; Colossians 1:9,24; 2 Corinthians 1:5-7, 9:8; Psalm 41, 31:9-13; Leviticus 19:32; John 14:17, 16:13; Galatians 4:6; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19; 2 Timothy 1:14; and Ephesians 1:17 are some of the verses highlighted in this book.

Here is the poem from Coach Broyles Playbook for Alzheimer’s Caregivers (author unknown)

Do not ask me to remember.

Don't try to make me understand.

Let me rest and know you're with me.

Kiss my cheek and hold my hand.

I'm confused beyond your concept.

I am sad and sick and lost.

All I know is that I need you.

To be with me at all cost.

Do not lose your patience with me.

Do not scold or curse or cry.

I can't help the way I'm acting.

Can't be different 'though I try.

Just remember that I need you.

That the best of me is gone.

Please don't fail to stand beside me.

Love me 'til my life is done.

I will be there, sweetheart!

Dana's Husband, Steve, Passed Away Last Night

Dana reported on her blog the passing of her husband, Steve, last night in California. Steve had early-on-set Alzheimer's and recently she reported on Facebook his address where he would like out his remaining days as he had moved from their home this last year because his care was beyond Dana.

Let's all join in our sympathies to this remarkable woman and her family. We know that Steve now has a better address. Pray for Dana in the days ahead.

This and That TWO

So thankful for all of you who have prayed during my health scare that I wrote about earlier this week.

The Pill Pusher. My husband's pills are so powerful that they landed me in the hospital. Many days we argue about his taking them in the morning before I leave to substitute teach. Then I can call him and remind him to take them and have even come home and he hasn't taken them. He has considered me a real nag. I made an executive decision. I have long known that routine is so important for Alzheimer's patients. This is why Jake and DH are going to the Senior Center once a week now--getting used to a routine--Sally's brilliant idea. My husband's routine of the clipboard schedule for the day also works; one side shows his schedule and the other side shows mine. We have different pill boxes now and a new routine. Now we both take our medicine at 7 am and 7 pm and that is on the typed schedule. I reinforce this by reminding him that he doesn't want me to take his pills again and land in the hospital.

Garage door is fixed. Just off track. I got explanation on how to put it back on track. Only a $35 service call. Hubby used to understand this and so I didn't bother learning about it. Also I need to learn how to use our expensive carpet cleaner and will go to a vacuum cleaner repair man to find out how. Hubby no longer knows. About a year ago we had a professional come in and clean carpets and now stains have come up from that experience--from the mud they left when the carpet didn't dry. We really can't afford to re-carpet the whole house. I guess stained carpeting is better in case one of us falls again as I did on Tuesday. But the stains are so noticeable.

Making Christmas simple. Decided to not make counted cross stitch for niece and nephew in California. Maybe next year when my wrists are better. Making three next generation educational quilts where there are young children in the family. That cleaned-off pool table provides room to cut them out.  Had hoped to mail these today, but my recent hospitalization happened. Other gifts have been mailed or are ready to be delivered.

Christmas letters are nowhere done--I have always done these in the past even with my late husband. I have bought Christmas cards and may send some of them. Or really, I think I would just like to call people. Whatcha think? People's preferred means of communication so confusing these days! Facebook. Facebook messaging. Texting. Snail mail/yearly Christmas cards. Phone call. Maybe I will do a combination of contacts.

Breaking News on the School Shooting in CT. 

Hug your family and friends!

My Horrible Rabbit Trail Leads to My Hospital Trip

Still on Home Computer When I God Home from Hospital

I got the wrong pills--I took my husband's pills!
I do not need his diabetic, strong heart and Alzheimer's medicine. I do not also need his Centrum Silver for Men.  I discovered what I had done as I started to feel very bad. His pills for Tuesday were missing and mine were still there! I Googled how to vomit. Warm salt water didn't work. I did vomit, but I passed out in the bathroom.

Yesterday was a day that Jake and hubby were going to the Senior Center for the day. Sally and Jake came over right away, but not before my husband called 911. I praise DH for his quick action. He had called in his own emergency before.  I could hear the 911 phone conversation and that it was difficult for an Alzheimer's patient to answer questions from the 911 operator. He got frustrated, but somehow he got through to them that his wife was having a medical emergency.  

Soon a big truck pulled up in the front yard--maybe fire engine, maybe the ambulance. Ziggy barked at all the activity and apparently kept running around I am told. Parametics asked me all kinds of questions when they arrived. I was on my way in the ambulance to Lakeland Regional again like the trip I took October 12th. However when my blood pressure dropped more in the ambulance, I am told, I passed out. They woke me up and said that the ambulance was taking me to Plant City Baptist Hospital, a closer facility. I guess low blood sugar and low blood pressure will do that to you. And yes I felt very sick!

And embarrassed! Folks, I have not learned the lesson of going on a rabbit trail. I must have been getting my husband's pills ready and thought of something else. (Didn't I confess this last post about me and rabbit trails!)  Apparently I didn't put his pills in his usual cup and thinking I had mine in my hands I took them all!

The Queen of Scatter Brains here!

Lessons learned include to keep our pill boxes in separate places so this will never happen again.  I have bought new ones that look different. Hubby wants to keep his new ones by the couch where he watches TV. His watch says the day of the week and he can match it with the day on the morning and evening pill boxes. He seems more interested and responsible for his pills now--at least I hope so.

Thanks to the wonderful hospital staff, my doctor, and people who prayed. Blogging friends--Barb, Martha, Jane, Laurie, Living on Less Money-- all contacted me on this blog's Facebook "LIKE" page you see at the top and told me they were praying after I posted there. Special thanks to my husband's family and Sally and Jake.

The hospital stay was a little over 24 hours and near the end this morning flowers came to my room from a hospital volunteer welcoming me to my stay just as I was getting ready to check out.

Humorously my doctor gave me these instructions this morning when she saw me early.

Mrs. Johnson, I am sending you home with instructions to only take the pills I have prescribed for you.

There was another welcome when I came home. The trash bags in the front yard were gone!