I created this BLOG in hopes that my journey with my mother and her Alzheimer’s can help others. I wanted to explain a little about my mother Alzheimer’s. She has helped me all my life with my journey of cerebral palsy. She is 88 years old and has had Alzheimer’s for at least 13 years now. I first noticed her memory problems back in the fall of 1997. She was able to keep driving and handling her check book until the winter of 2003/2004. She could still go on 2 mile hikes with me into 2005 and ½ mile walks thru 2008, now she mostly can only walk a few yards before her hip starts to hurt her. I moved back into her home in 2005 to help her stay in her house although I have kept my own place thru 2010. One of the things I feel that has helped her go 13 years and still going is I’ve had people (mostly me) around her quit a bit. This helped her stay engaged with people. In 2003 she averaged people with her @90hrs/wk out of 168 hrs in a week, in 2004/2005/2006 @110hrs/wk, 2007 @125hrs/wk, 2008 @135hrs/wk. Then starting in January 2009 she has had someone with her 24/7. I started using care givers in 2005 to help and to give mom other women to talk to and get use to. Right now she can still dress and undress herself but is starting to struggle with it and needs to be told what to do most of the time. About a year ago in December 2009 she started to refuse to wash herself now one of the care givers I use sponge bathes her 3 times a week. Right now mentally she is like a 6 year old girl with just a few seconds of memory. She has started to get confused with the getting undressed and dressed part but can still do it herself. She has also sometimes thought the person she sees in the bathroom mirror is someone else this has started just a few months ago. She can still walk on her own with no help. Here is a list of the drugs and supplements she takes for her Alzheimer’s • Razadyne started in 2000 • Namenda started March 2005 • Folic Acid started in 2001 • Turmeric started in 2001
Tuesday Nov 30th 2010
Today mom slept a lot during the day. We didn’t go for any drives tonight but she was up until 11:00pm watching TV and talking with me. She was in pretty good spirits today and I thank god tonight wasn’t a huge struggle getting her into her nightgown and getting her to take off her pants so Andrea can bathe all of her tomorrow. As for me today I meet up with a friend for a couple of drinks. It was good to hang out and talk guy talk over a couple of beers.
Monday Nov 29th 2010
Today was a cloudy rainy day but Andrea did manage to get all of mom bathe with her sponge bath. Like I’ve said in the past it takes Andrea several trips in to get mom fully clean. Each time she gets a little more done before mom starts to get to mad then she lets mom fall back to sleep a tries again. Since it was a rainy day mom and I didn’t take a drive when I got back home. On Mondays right now I have someone else with mom 7 hours during the day to give me a little break. Today I meet up with a friend I use to work with for lunch. Tonight mom and I watched TV and talked some after dinner. Also tonight she got into her nightgown without a whole lot of trouble, that was nice for a change.
Sunday Nov 28th 2010
I let mom sleep in today until 11:00am before I got her up for breakfast then went for a long drive on the river road. It was another warmer sunny day and mom was in pretty good spirits during the day even singing a little to the Xmas music. We watched the rams a little this afternoon. After dinner mom and I watch some people singing Xmas songs on channel 9 for awhile. Like I’ve said in the past she does like Xmas songs she even sang along a little. Tonight was a moderately hard time to get moms pants off after she put her nightgown on. Tonight I had to choose the fight since tomorrow is a bathe day.
Saturday Nov 27th 2010
I got mom up around 9:30am. She never took her pants off last night just her shirt when she put her nightgown on. We went for a good drive up the river road. It was a bright sunny day. Mom sang some along with the Xmas songs she has been in good spirits today. Mom was a little more engaged with people at the visitors center today I gave her several hugs today. I have noticed that sometimes when she is not in a great mood me giving her a hug helps. We ate some lunch when we got back then mom took a nap. I took mom out for supper tonight then we watched the classic Wizard of OZ on TV. She always likes that one especially since her attention span has decreased plus she has always liked musicals. She gave me some problems tonight both with brushing her teeth and getting into her nightgown. She again tonight didn’t take the pants off after putting on the nightgown. But since tomorrow is not a wash day I didn’t push that part. The old saying you have to pick your fights and when to fight. Getting her to do things is getting harder because it is getting more confusing to her on how to brush her teeth and get dressed or undressed. This is just apart of the Alzheimer’s and not their fault. I just give her lots of hugs and tell her I love her.
Friday Nov 26th 2010
Andrea was able to get all of mom bathe except for her face. Today mom has been in good spirits. We went on 3 drives today 2 short and one longer. We enjoyed the drives even doing a little singing to the Xmas songs. Mom didn’t take any naps today we’ve been busy running around. We ate in tonight another good meal Andrea made. We played a hand of cards after dinner then spent the evening watching TV holiday specials. I had mom go to bed at 10:30pm. I got her into her nightgown without to much trouble tonight but then I didn’t fight her on getting off her pants since Andrea wasn’t going to bathe her tomorrow. I will soon go to bed myself I got up early today and I’m tired.
Thursday Nov 25th 2010
Mom got up around 10:30am and we ate breakfast together. I was up late last night myself so I to slept in. We have had lots of rain or snow off and on all day until about 4pm. Mom spent most of the day sleeping. We took a late afternoon drive as well as a short drive after breakfast. The morning drive we did get rained on some. I decided to eat in tonight even though it’s Thanksgiving. With the wet roads and ground as well as cold I just thought it would be easier to eat in and just take shorter drives. I could get mom back home before she would need to go to the bathroom. We had no rain on the afternoon drive which was a little longer drive to look for Xmas lights. It doesn’t seem like too many people have lights up yet at least. With it being as warm as it has been the past couple of weekends I was hoping more people would have put up lights earlier. Andrea put up the Xmas decorations around here a couple weeks ago. Mom does like the Xmas tree lights and all the decorations so we put them up earlier for her. Mom has stay up all night watching TV specials with me. I also noticed the past couple of evening drives mom’s depth perception is off some so she doesn’t see as well at night. But then she is 88 now. I do enjoy and thank god for every day I get to spend with mom. I know I will miss her when she is gone. Before going to bed mom and I had a glass of wine to celebrate Thanksgiving. She has been in good spirits during the day or at least the part she was up. Well she was in good spirits until I had to get her to get her pants off so Andrea would be able to bathe her tomorrow. Getting her into her nightgown is harder than getting her dressed in the morning. It was a struggle again tonight for her to get it through that she had to take the pants off. She tried walking away from me I just had to stay persistent. I do enjoy and thank god for every day I get to spend with mom even the harder ones I love her enough to go through hell just to make her life the best it can be. I know I will miss her when she is gone.
Wednesday Nov 24th 2010
Mom got up this morning around 9:30am and we had breakfast together before I took off. Andrea had gotten most of her bathed earlier except for her stomach and chest area. Mom was in good spirits she even played some cards with Andrea for a short time. I was a little surprised but happy she got up earlier today since it has been raining most of the day and into tonight. Mom and I did get in a short drive around 4pm in-between rain showers. Tonight she was in good spirits as we watched TV and even danced a little. She was very confused when it came time to put her nightgown on. I didn’t make her take off her pants since she was so confused already and tomorrow is not a bathe day.
Tuesday Nov 23rd 2010
Mom was still asleep when I left this morning so not sure right now when she got up. Today is the day Schatcie comes at 1:30 and takes over for Andrea. I then get back by 3:30pm. I know Schatcie and mom went for a short drive this afternoon and mom seemed to enjoy it. They played Xmas music in the car. Mom still likes Xmas music. I took mom for a short drive just as it was getting dark to see Xmas lights but we didn’t see very many at least not yet. Mom also enjoys the Xmas lights on the houses. Mom seemed in pretty good spirits today. Tonight wasn’t as much trouble getting her to put on her nightgown. I’m happy the nights that happens. Since tomorrow is a bathe day I have to make sure mom doesn’t have any clothes in her closet so she doesn’t change back sometime during the night. She has done that before. Like I’ve said before she does get confused with the dressing thing.
Monday Nov 22nd 2010
Mom slept a lot during the day but Andrea did get all of her washed today without to much trouble. She was more sleepy this morning which helped Andrea with bathing her. I took mom for a short drive late this afternoon to get her out and about. There where a few Xmas lights on when we finished the drive. She does like Xmas lights. We spent the night hanging out watching TV and talking a little. She seemed to be in pretty good spirits today around me at least. Something that she does sometimes like tonight, I get her to get into her nightgown she even hangs the cloths up but then puts them back on. She can get confused thinking after she hangs the cloths up she needs to get dressed again. She went to bed tonight around 10:00pm.
Sunday Nov 21st 2010
I got mom up today around 11:00am. She got dressed without to much trouble. Also no trouble getting her to take her pills today. We went on one 3 hour drive then a short drive. I’m so happy she still mostly likes going on drives with me. She went to bed tonight shortly after dinner then got up later and watched some TV with me. Tonight she seemed to have some problems messing her underwear.
Saturday Nov 20th 2010
Last night mom seemed to be a little confused as to which bedroom was hers after she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night. She opened my bedroom door and just stood there confused. I told her which bedroom was hers and she went there. Today was a good day for the most part. She did give me a little trouble with her pills but not to much. She slept in until 11am but then I didn’t get up until 10:30am, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, although I did get a couple hours of deep sleep. We went for our normal drive up the river road. Mom seemed to enjoy the drive and getting out of the house. It was a warmer day today around 60 degrees. She didn’t take any naps today we where on the move a lot after she got up at 10:30am. I took her out for dinner tonight and then we talked and watched TV all night until I had her go to bed at 10pm. We have short conversations at best anymore. Mostly I act silly and kid around which makes her laugh.
Friday Nov 19th 2010
Mom got up today around 10am. Before she got up Andrea (care giver) was able to get all of her washed without much fuss from mom. This is unusual mom normally fusses more. So today was a good day. Andrea has found that most days if she cleans a little at a time she can get more of mom washed. Normally mom will start to fuss then Andrea leaves and comes back later to get more washed. Mom and I went for a short drive this afternoon then sat around and watched TV tonight. Mom was in pretty good spirits today. Andrea told me today that mom was a little more confused yesterday than normal but she seemed fine later in the day when I was around.
Thursday Nov 18th 2010
Mom slept most of the day getting up, to eat but not staying up real long. She was up all evening with me. We took a short drive in the afternoon. Tonight she gave me one hell of a time getting undressed and into her nightgown. We argue for more than 30 minutes but I finally did get her to get undressed. She has started to get more and more confused on how to get undress but can still do it. But tonight was harder than normal but I had to make sure she also took off her pants because Friday Andrea bathes her. Andrea would never get her washed if mom had anything on more than her nightgown.
My journey with my mother through her Alzheimer's
