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Updated on July 15th 2011
I created this BLOG in hopes that my journey with my mother and her Alzheimer’s can help others. I list my daily posts below. 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 14 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 March 2011. One of the things I feel that has helped her go 14 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. 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 4 to 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 started in 2010. I started using a diaper pad on mom’s bed in July 2011. 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 then in 2011 changed to generic Galantamine
•Namenda started March 2005
•Folic Acid started in 2001
•Turmeric started in 2001
Wednesday August 31st 2011
Mom did have a bladder accident overnight. Andrea was able to get mom washed but it was an effort. I slept in some today and mom had eaten by the time I got up. Andrea was having problems getting mom to put her cloths on so since it was going to be way to hot to take mom out I said just let mom stay in her nightgown. Andrea and Schatcie both said mom was sleepy today and mom was very confused. Mom has been confused all day even after I got home way more than her average. I spent sometime doing research on a at home business with my free time today. Mom was asleep when I got home and I got her up shortly after I got home to go to the bathroom. Mom was restless and wanting to roam around the house today and the first part of the evening. During dinner mom was quiet and the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at 1am. Since she was in her nightgown all day there was no changing needed so no trouble getting her to bed tonight. Overall today mom has been sleepy and more confused than normal but for the most part sweet.
Tuesday August 30th 2011
Mom didn’t have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did my normal getting mom up early and several times. I was so tired this morning that I slept in once Andrea got here. Mom was up dressed and had breakfast by the time I got up. It was a little warmer today but still not too bad and it was mostly sunny. Since I slept in I didn’t have as much time to myself so I didn’t get in a very long hike today but it was nice getting out into the woods again. Andrea said mom was up most of the time she was here as well as chatting and mom was up when I got back home at 1:30pm. Mom did nap a little in her chair after I got home before we went on a drive to Sioux Passage Park. It was still fairly nice outside and mom did enjoy our drive as we talked about the houses and yards plus all the trees. I fixed dinner shortly after we got back so the last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm. We talked about the flowers during our dinner and laughed a few times. After dinner and some bathroom trips we took a second drive this time we just drove around. Mom was quiet on this drive but seemed to enjoy getting out of the house. We then watch TV and a talent show the rest of the evening until mom went to bed around midnight. Tonight was even harder to get mom to change plus another thing mom doesn’t like the diaper pad on the bed and wants to take it off. So sometimes that’s a struggle to keep it on the bed. I just explain it is apart of the bedding. Overall mom has been pleasant and somewhat talkative until bedtime at least.
Monday August 29th 2011
Mom didn’t have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did my normal getting mom up early and several times. Andrea was able to get mom washed and said mom slept most of the time she was here. We opened my presents before mom fell back asleep. I went out for a little hike on my birthday today. It was a perfect day for a hike temps in the 80’s low humidity and sunny. I went over to Columbia Bottom Conservation Area and hiked along the Missouri river. God sure did produce a great day for my birthday and I thank him for that. Shannon told me when I got back that mom slept most of the time she was here as well and mom was asleep when I got home at 3:00pm so I got mom up to go to the bathroom. I took a quick shower while Shannon was still here so she could watch mom. I had mom take me out to our favorite Mexican restaurant for my birthday dinner. Mom talked about the traffic outside as we ate our taco salads and ice cream. Mom was somewhat talkative during dinner and when we got home mom and I had some cake that Andrea fixed for my birthday. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at 1am. We both actually fell asleep in our chairs watching TV after dinner. I did get a lot of fussing when it came time for mom to change into her nightgown and take off her pants, it was mostly stemmed from her confusion on what to go and why. Overall today mom has been in a good mood.
Sunday August 28th 2011
Mom didn’t have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did my normal getting mom up early and several times. I got mom up at 8:30am to get her dressed and breakfast down before 10am. My brother Tom and his wife Bonnie came over at 10am and Bonnie and I went to church while Tom stayed with mom. Tom and Bonnie hung out with mom and I for about 2 hours after we got back from church. Mom and I ended up taking a short drive to Sioux Passage Park after they left. It was a beautiful day sunny and not to hot. Mom was quiet on the drive but in a good mood. During dinner mom talked about the birds on the feeder. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at 1am. We both fell asleep after dinner watching TV for awhile and mom slept in her chair off and on until she went to bed. I did get fussing when it came to mom changing and taking off her pants.
Saturday August 27th 2011
Mom didn’t have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did my normal getting mom up early and several times. We got up for the day around 10am and mom was up the rest of the day with just one short nap. At breakfast mom talked about the squirrels outside running up and down the tree. She took her pills without much trouble and got dressed but I did have to do a lot of explaining to get her dressed. Mom is so confused about the dressing. It was a warm and sunny day so after breakfast and a few bathroom trips we took a drive along the river road to the Grafton Visitor center. Mom was fairly talkative on this drive. We talked about the people riding their bikes along the bike trail. We saw several boats on the river and talked about all the motorcycles on the river road. I fixed lunch after the drive then mom took a short nap before talking to my brother Paul on Skype. Mom talked about the squirrels at lunch as well. Mom was quiet during dinner and the last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm. We took a second drive to Sioux Passage Park shortly after dinner and a couple bathroom trips. It was still a beautiful day and warm. We talked about the houses and big yards as we drove. We then watched TV and laughed a few times until mom went to bed at midnight. I did get some confusion when it came to mom changing but not much trouble getting mom to brush her teeth. Overall today mom has been more talkative and in a good mood. I thank god for another good day for mom.
Friday August 26th 2011
Mom had a bowel accident this morning but only got it on the diaper pad not the sheets. Mom also had a bladder accident just before I got back home today she just slept to long. The bladder accident took both Shannon and I to get mom out of the wet pants and panties it was an effort mom fought. Andrea was able to get all of mom washed this morning and said mom was up most of the time Andrea was here and was pleasant but quiet. Mom slept almost all the 2 hours Shannon was here. I took off this morning and got in some hiking today. It was a sunny day with temps in the 80’s while I was hiking. Today I went over to the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area and hiked along the Missouri river. It was great getting out into the woods I do enjoy it. Mom and I napped some after I got home at 3:30pm until dinner. Mom was quiet during dinner and the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm. We watched some TV while waiting for mom to take a couple bathroom breaks before going on a drive. We drove to Sioux Passage Park and talked about the houses and yards. It was sunny and fairly warm temps hit 90 but the humidity was low. We then watched TV the rest of the night until mom went to bed at 12:30am. I really didn’t have much trouble getting mom to brush her teeth but did get some fussing when it came to changing and taking off her pants.
Thursday August 25th 2011
Mom did have a bladder accident this morning I was so tired last night I didn’t set my alarm in time to get mom up before she would have an accident. Luckily she just got it on her diaper pad and not the sheets. I ended up sleeping in before leaving for a few hours. It was a beautiful day with temps in the 80’s. Andrea said mom was up most of the time she was here and mom was sweet today. Mom was sleeping when I got home at 1:30pm. I got mom up at 2pm and after a bathroom trip we took a drive to Sioux Passage Park. Mom talked about her normal amount on our drive. We both took a short nap after our drive and before dinner. During dinner mom talked about the wind blowing outside and the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at 12:30am. We took a second drive after dinner and some bathroom breaks before settling in to watch TV. We talked about the homes and yards as we drove to Sioux Passage Park. On the drive back mom recognized when we got close to home and pointed which way to turn. She did this yesterday as well. These were the first times for this in awhile. Overall mom has been in a sweet mood today. I did get some static when it came to her changing but that is normal.
Wednesday August 24th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. Getting mom up at 6am took awhile but she didn’t get angry just didn’t want to get up she finally did and went to the bathroom. This is a normal thing with mom anymore. Andrea said mom was easy to wash today and got the best cleaning in awhile. I slept in today and mom had breakfast by the time I got up and showered. I had a lunch with a recruiter today over at the Olive Garden. It was a good and free lunch hopefully will lead to a job. I think mom slept most of the time I was gone and was sleeping when I got home at 3:30pm. Mom had her pants on but still had the nightgown on so I had her change into her shirt. It got up to 100 humid and sunny so I waited till this evening to take mom for a short drive. During dinner mom talked a lot about how much the wind was blowing outside. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed close to 1am. So I will try and get her up around 6am hopefully in time before any bladder accidents. We did take a drive around 7pm tonight to Sioux Passage Park. We talked about the different homes, flowers and laughed a few times as we drove along. Mom has been in good spirits today but is still confused. I had to help her with brushing her teeth tonight.
Tuesday August 23rd 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. Getting mom up at 6am took awhile but she didn’t get angry just didn’t want to get up she finally did and went to the bathroom. My hope was to keep her awake and hope her bladder would tell her she needs to go. She seems to be able to judge when to go if she is awake. So I try and wake her when I think her bladder needs to go. Mom and I ate breakfast together before I took off to run some errands. Andrea said mom slept most of the time I was gone. I got back around 1:30pm and mom was asleep and I got her up shortly after getting home and took her for a drive after some bathroom trips. We drove to Sioux Passage Park and talked about the homes and big yards on some homes. Mom was in good spirits. When we got back home the both of us took a short nap before dinner. Mom was quiet during dinner and the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm. We watched some news and took some bathroom trips before going on a second drive to Sioux Passage Park on this drive we both were quiet. The rest of the evening we watched TV and laughed when I acted silly until 10:30pm when mom went to bed. I got mom up around 1:30am before I went to bed so she could go to the bathroom. Mom did fuss some on changing and taking the pants off. Overall mom has had a good day for her.
Monday August 22nd 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I had a very hard time getting mom up at 6am to go to the bathroom but the pay off was she didn’t have a bladder accident. Andrea had a struggle getting mom washed and did not get mom’s front side real well. Mom ended up sleeping most of the time Andrea was here but was up most of the 2 hours Shannon was here and mom was friendly with Shannon. I slept in some this morning after being up and getting up at 6am to get mom to the bathroom. I was just tired. I did meet up with an old friend from work for lunch today. It was good seeing and talking with another guy. Mom was asleep when I got home at 3:30pm. I even took a 30 minute nap before waking mom up and going for a drive before dinner. We drove over to Sioux Passage Park. On this drive I was tired and we both were quiet and not talking much but mom was in good spirits. During dinner we both were quiet as well mostly because I was tired. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around 11:30pm. After dinner mom and I went for another drive to Sioux Passage Park and this time we talked more. It was a partly cloudy night with the sun shining and temps around 90. We watched TV tonight and laughed a few times. I did get some fussing when it came to changing into her nightgown and take off the pants.
Sunday August 21st 2011
Even though I got mom up at 1:30am and 5:30am to go to the bathroom mom didn’t get up fast enough after I left for church mom did have a bladder accident then but only in her panties her nightgown and bed were dry. Mom is getting harder to get up at times even for me. I did get mom up at 8am and had her eat breakfast and take her pills before I left for church. My friend Patti watched mom while I was in church. The church service today hit home with me just what I needed to here and the worship band was good as well. After the church service I had breakfast with a friend that I see up there every time. We almost always have breakfast together after the service and catch up on things. When I got back home I got mom up for lunch and a few bathroom trips before going on our drive. Today was partly cloudy with temps hitting 90. Mom and I drove along the river road to Grafton’s Visitors center. We saw several sailboats out enjoying the weather and tons of motorcycles. We mostly talked about all the boats on the water and the motorcycles. Mom was a little confused at the visitor center and going to the bathroom so I walked her in and she had no problem. The nice thing about this visitor center I know the women that works there so if I need she could help mom but today no one was in there when we were. We napped some after our drive before dinner. Mom was somewhat chatty during dinner the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and went to bed around 10:45pm. Mom was starting to get restless before she went to bed and was quiet tonight but responsive whenever I talked to her. I did get some static when I had mom change into her nightgown and take off her pants. I also got mom up at 1:30am to go to the bathroom before I went to bed.
Saturday August 20th 2011
Even though I got mom up at 5:30am to go to the bathroom I didn’t get her up the second time fast enough mom did have a bladder accident around 9:30am. It was challenging to get mom to change out of her wet stuff. I think god hasn’t opened the job doors because I couldn’t do a full time job and spend this time with mom. If I was working I would need someone here to been with mom 24hrs a day 5 days a week. The rest of the morning and afternoon mom was chatty but having problems sometimes trying to put her thoughts together. After breakfast and a couple bathroom trips mom and I went for a drive. Since it looked like it could rain at anytime we just went to Sioux Passage Park a couple times this afternoon. Then we went for another drive after dinner. Mom was fairly chatty on all our drives we talked about how some of the houses are big with big yards as well as the trees and things in the sky. Mom has been to the bathroom more today than her normal and didn’t take any naps today. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 6pm. This evening mom was quiet but responsive when I talked to her. Mom went to bed around 11:30pm and I will wake her up around 1:30am to go to the bathroom. I didn’t have any problem getting mom to change into her nightgown and take off her pants. I still do explain what to do when it comes to mom changing. Overall today mom has been chattier than normal and in good spirits except for this morning when we argued on her getting out of her wet cloths.
Friday August 19th 2011
I got mom up at 1:30am but she ended up still having a bladder accident around 5:45am just before I was going to get her up. Mom did have another bladder accident later in the morning when mom and Andrea were watching TV mom had the accident because she didn’t get her panties down and off fast enough. Andrea didn’t have any problems today getting mom washed but did have problems getting mom to take off her nightgown and put her shirt on. Andrea finally used reverse logic by saying mom wouldn’t want to put on her shirt then mom said why not and put the shirt on. Mom was up most of the 6 hours Andrea was here and was up when I got back home at 1:30pm. Mom and I took a drive this afternoon to Sioux Passage Park. Mom was chatty on the first part of the drive but quiet by the end of the drive. She fell asleep in her chair after we got back. During dinner mom was quiet. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around 10:30pm. After dinner and a couple bathroom stops we took another drive to Sioux Passage Park. We talked about the trees amongst other things as we drove. Mom tried to say things tonight as we watched TV but was having a hard time expressing her thoughts but was trying to converse. I didn’t get much fussing tonight when I had mom brush her teeth or change into her nightgown. Mom was restless when she first laid down but settled in. I will wake her up before I go to bed and then get her up before 6am in hopes to keep her from having any bladder accidents.
Thursday August 18th 2011
Mom did have a bladder accident just before 5:30am so before I was going to get her up. She also had another bladder accident later this morning we let her sleep to long. Andrea said mom slept most of the time she was here and was asleep when I got back home at 1:30pm. I didn’t do much hiking today but did enjoy sometime to myself. It was back into the 90’s today but at least it wasn’t in the 100’s. I got mom up shortly after I got home and had her do some bathroom trips before taking her for a drive. We did take a drive to Sioux Passage Park. Mom was happy to get out of the house and we talked about the trees and sky as we drove along. During dinner mom was quiet. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around 12:30am. We watched TV tonight where mom called me by name, it was good to hear she still new my name. I had little trouble getting mom to change and take her pants off.
Wednesday August 17th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did my normal routine of getting mom up at 6am this has become a daily thing. Andrea was able to get mom washed but it was touch. The rest of the time Andrea was here Andrea said mom was chatty and was up until just before Patti got here. Mom slept most of the time Patti was here but then mom was tired from being up all morning and being chatty. As for me I ran some errands and got in a short hike along the Missouri River. It was a sunny and warmer day today with temps getting up to the 90’s. I found out yesterday I didn’t get the job so it was good to relax some by hiking. I woke mom up when I got home at 3:30pm. We took a drive before dinner to Sioux Passage Park. Mom was in a good mood but not as chatty as this morning. Mom was quiet during dinner and the last time she had anything to eat or drink was at 5:15pm. We took a second drive this evening after dinner and a couple bathroom stops. WE drove back to Sioux Passage Park. Mom was chattier on this drive. We talked about everything from the trees to the sky. We then watched TV and laughed when I acted silly. Mom went to bed around midnight and it was fairly easy to get her to change and take off her pants. Overall today mom has been in happy spirits and fairly chatty.
Tuesday August 16th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did get mom up around 12:30am last night for a bathroom break and she got up a little before my alarm went off at 6am and was in the bathroom but luckily she did not have an accident I thank god for that. Her system actually got her up in time this morning. Mom and I had breakfast together this morning after Andrea got here. Mom was sleepy today and slept most of the 5 hours Andrea was here. I got a later start today but did get some time to myself before coming back at 1:30pm. So far the routine of having mom get up at 6am getting her up at midnight if she isn’t already up and go to the bathroom then also having her go before and after meals and then again 45 minutes after a meal has kept mom from having as many bladder accidents. When this routine isn’t followed is when she has accidents. Mom and I went for a drive to Sioux Passage Park shortly after I got back home. It was a cloudy but cool day temp wise. We talked about the trees and clouds as we drove. Mom took a short nap after our drive and before dinner. During dinner mom was quiet but in a sweet mood. After a couple bathroom breaks we took a second drive to Sioux Passage Park and got drizzled on. Mom was sweet but quiet on this drive. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed a little before 10:30pm with me getting her up around 12:30am as I’m writing this blog update. We watched a talent show on TV tonight talked a little and laughed some whenever I acted silly. I did get some static when it came to mom changing into her nightgown and taking off her pants. Overall today mom has been sweet but sleepy.
Monday August 15th 2011
Mom did not have a bladder accident overnight but did have one this afternoon when Shannon was here. I did my normal routine of getting mom up around 6am so she can go to the bathroom before having an accident. Andrea got all of mom washed today but said mom was very confused way more than her normal. Mom also slept most of the time today until I got home at 3:30pm. Mom and I ate breakfast together before I left to go hiking. It was a cloudy but great temp to go hiking. I went over to the Columbia Bottoms Conservation Area. Today the wind was still as I hiked but the temp was so cool there was no need for a breeze. I watched some birds sore as I hiked along but other than that it was pretty quiet animal wise. I had to thank god as I hiked for such a cool day. I noticed the water was further away from the trail from it being dry here lately. I did enjoy the beautiful day and getting out on the trail even if it was a short hike. After my hike I went for a picnic lunch out at Sioux Passage Park before heading back home. Mom was in the bathroom when I got back home at 3:30pm and we went for a drive to Sioux Passage Park. Mom was quiet on our drive but responsive when I talked to her. During dinner mom talked about the birds outside and the flowers. Mom was talking more at dinner than our drive. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed a little after 10pm. I plan on getting her up before I go to bed so she can go to the bathroom. We watched TV this evening and laughed. At one point tonight mom ask me how I was by name it made me feel good she remembered my name. I did get some static when it came to getting mom to change and take off her pants. Overall today mom has been confused, sleepy but sweet.
Sunday August 14th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I woke mom up at 6am so she could go to the bathroom then again at 9:30am for the day. During breakfast mom talked about the tree branches blowing outside. After some bathroom trips mom and I went for a drive. We drove along the river road again today to Grafton IL. It was a beautiful day with temps only getting into the 80’s and sunny. Mom talked more than her normal on the drive. We saw far more motorcycles today than yesterday also saw more boats on the river. As we drove between my two loves of climbing on cliffs and sailing mom and I talked. We talked about the birds flying over the river looking for fish taking off from the high cliffs. The birds soaring free threw the air like they own it. We watched several sailboats gliding threw the water driven only by the wind. We saw people walking and riding their bikes along the bike path by the road. After our drive I fixed lunch as mom and I talked about the birds on the feeder. After watching a little TV mom laid down for a nap before dinner. I still keep up my routine of having mom go to the bathroom both before and after meals and check to make sure she had no accidents after she gets out of the bathroom. She only flushes the towel about half the time so I check the bathroom to see if she went or not. She also still throws the toilet paper in the waste basket instead of the toilet. During dinner mom talked about the birds and tree branches blowing. We took a second drive after dinner since it was such a beautiful day. On this drive we drove to Sioux Passage Park mom was quiet but responsive when I started the conversation. We then just watched some music programs the rest of the evening. Mom does enjoy listening to music. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at 12:30am. I did get some fussing when it came to mom changing and taking off her pants but not to bad. Overall mom has been in a good mood and a little more talkative than her normal.
Saturday August 13th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I woke mom up at 6am so she could go to the bathroom then again at 8:30am. This has been working now for the most part knock on wood LOL. Mom and I got up for the day around 10am and had breakfast. As normal I have mom go to the bathroom before and after meals. Mom talked on how sunny it was outside as we ate breakfast. Mom will still take her pills it’s just sometimes it takes her awhile as we sit and talk at the breakfast table. Today was a sunny day with temps only getting up to 90 so mom and I took a drive along the river road to Grafton IL. We stopped at the visitor center for a bathroom break. This was the first time in a month that we took a longer drive. It was good to take a longer drive. Mom and I talked about our normal amount as we drove along. Today surprisingly I didn’t see very many boats on the water or motorcycles on the road. I’m not sure why it was a beautiful day for a drive or to get out on a boat. We did see a few sailboats out enjoying the water. I do miss sailing sometimes it is a lot of fun. Mom did enjoy getting out of the house and was in a good mood for the most part. I fixed a small lunch when we got back from our drive then mom took a short nap. Mom was quiet but responsive during lunch but I think she was getting tired. I decided to take mom out for dinner tonight so we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant for taco salads and ice cream with cinnamon and honey on the ice cream. We sat by the window so mom could watch the cars driving along the road outside. This also gives her something to talk about. Mom did take another short nap shortly after we had dinner. The last time mom had anything to drink or eat was at 5pm and she went to bed for the night around 11:30pm. We watched some TV this evening and laughed a few times but for the most part mom was quiet but pleasant. I did have a bit of an argument when it came to mom changing into her nightgown and taking off her pants.
Friday August 12th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I had Andrea come over at 6am this morning so she could get mom up and let me sleep to get rest for my interview. After I got up I got ready for my interview. Andrea was able to get all of mom washed this morning and her pills down all before I got up. Mom was quiet but pleasant this morning and then slept most of the afternoon until I got home. It was raining shortly after I got back so mom and I didn’t take a drive. During dinner mom talked about how green it looked outside. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at midnight. We just watched TV and laughed tonight. I did get some static when I had mom brush her teeth and change.
Thursday August 11th 2011
Mom did have a small bladder accident overnight around 7am but she didn’t get the bed wet. I met to get up at 6am to get mom up but I over slept. Mom and I ate breakfast together before I took off to review for my interview on Friday. Mom was sleeping during the day but got up shortly after I got back at 3:30pm and we went for a drive to Sioux Passage Park before dinner. Mom tries to talk sometimes but has a hard time trying to express what she is saying. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 6pm and she went to bed at 10pm then I woke her up to go to the bathroom at midnight. We watched TV and laughed a few times this evening but mom was unsettled and restless for part of the night. I had very little trouble getting mom to change into her nightgown.
Wednesday August 10th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did get mom up at 6am so she could go to the bathroom. Today she didn’t fight getting up she just took her time. Andrea was able to get all of mom washed. I was so tired that by the time I got back up mom had already eaten and was back in bed. I did eat breakfast here then took off to run some errands and study some for a job interview. Andrea said mom slept most of the time also was non responsive and confused. Mom was in bed when I got home at 3:30pm but got up shortly after I came home. It did rain earlier today but by the time I got home it was just partly cloudy and much cooler. I took mom for a short drive to Sioux Passage Park before dinner. Mom talked about her normal amount and was happy to get out of the house. At dinner mom was quiet but responsive whenever I talked to her. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 6pm and she went to bed around 11:30pm. We watched TV and laughed some this evening but for the most part we both were quiet. We did take a second drive to Sioux Passage Park shortly after dinner since it was sunny and cool temps. I will miss these drives when she is gone. Tonight mom was confused on brushing her teeth and changing but really didn’t put up a fight. Overall with me mom has been pleasant, responsive when I talked to her but confused.
Tuesday August 9th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I did get mom up at 6am so she could go to the bathroom. Today she didn’t fight getting up she just took her time. Andrea got here at 8:30am and got mom up for breakfast I went back to bed after mom’s 6am bathroom break and got up in time to eat breakfast with mom. It was a much cooler day today with low humidity so I left ran some errands and took a short nap in my van. When I got back home at 1:30pm mom was up and had been up the whole time I was gone. Andrea said mom was sweet and conversing with Andrea. I had mom take a couple bathroom breaks before we took a drive to Sioux Passage Park it was a good day to get outside. Mom was in good spirits and conversing on our drive. Like always I tell her countless times during the day that I love her it really does help keep both of us in a good mood. Mom also says she loves me as well except when I make her do something and when she gets real upset I ask god to help and he does. At dinner mom was quiet but responsive. Mom ended up not napping at all today. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around midnight. Tonight we watched a talent show and laughed several times from me acting silly. I had no problem tonight getting mom to change and take off her pants. Overall mom has been sweet in happy spirits and responsive.
Monday August 8th 2011
Mom had a small bladder accident overnight around 6:30am. This morning she didn’t put the dry panties on in the bathroom she just put the wet ones back on. I had a hard time getting her to change into the dry ones she still has some fight in her. Andrea had an easier time washing mom than I had getting mom to change. Mom had eaten breakfast by the time I got back up and she was up the whole time Andrea was here. I got back at 1pm so I could take a shower before the pastor stopped by. The pastor stopped by this afternoon for a few minutes. It was a much cooler day so I took mom for a drive to Sioux Passage Park this afternoon before dinner. Mom was in a sweet mood after this morning and we talked about our normal amount during our drive. Mom ended being up most of the day really didn’t take any naps. At dinner mom talked about the wind blowing threw the trees. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 6pm and she went to bed around 12:30am. Mom was having trouble trying to say what she wanted tonight as we watched TV but then she had to be getting tired. We did talk more than normal tonight and laughed a lot. I also had the easiest time getting mom to change tonight in along time. Other than early this morning mom has been sweet and doing more talking than her normal.
Sunday August 7th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I got mom up at 6am to go to the bathroom and she was so tired it was difficult getting her to get up. Mom then went back to bed as I got ready for church. I tried to get her up again at 8am before I left to for church but mom wasn’t having anything to do with getting up. So I figured since she went at 6am hopefully she wouldn’t have any bladder accidents and I was correct. I had my friend Patti over while I went to church. Patti was able to feed mom around 10am but mom wouldn’t take her pills. It’s an art sometimes getting mom to take her pills which takes time to learn. When I got home I had mom take her pills with lunch and before our drive. Of course I had mom go to the bathroom a couple times before our drive. It was to hot to take mom for a longer drive so we drove out to Sioux Passage Park. Mom enjoyed getting out and tried to start some conversations. Mom slept a lot of the time Patti was here but didn’t really nap this afternoon. After our drive we watched some TV before going on a second drive to Sioux Passage Park. On this drive mom was quiet but responsive when I talked to her. I fixed our dinner after our drive in which mom talked about the squirrels running down the tree. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around midnight. We just watched TV and laughed tonight. It was fairly easy getting mom to change into her nightgown and take off her pants tonight. Overall today mom has been in good spirits and talked about her normal amount. I thank god for another good day with mom.
Saturday August 6th 2011
Mom did not have any bladder accidents overnight or today. I had mom go to the bathroom at 11pm last night then I got her up at 2am before I went to bed so she could go to the bathroom then again got her up at 6:30am and 8:30am. This seemed to work at least last night. Mom and I got up at 10am to eat breakfast where she talked about the squirrels outside. After breakfast mom took a little nap before we took a short drive to Sioux Passage Park. At lunchtime mom talked about the birds feeding outside. Then after a bathroom break we took another drive to Sioux Passage Park. On both drives mom was her normal talkativeness although it is getting harder to understand what she is saying for she sometimes starts saying something then forgets what she wanted to say. She was quiet during dinner and that night as we watched TV. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around 1am.
Friday August 5th 2011
Mom did have a bladder accident overnight around 7:30am which the timing was nice Andrea got here so I had her change the bedding. Mom got the sheets pretty wet for she had taking off the diaper pad. This morning mom didn’t take the wet panties off and put on dry ones in the bathroom. So Andrea and I had a fight with mom to get her to change, mom was being very stubborn but that does show mom still has some fight in her and not always just submitting. Also Patti and I had to fight with mom this afternoon after mom had another bladder accident when she got up from a nap. Andrea took awhile today getting mom washed but did get all of mom washed. By the time I got up and had breakfast mom had already eaten and was back in bed. I took off to get in some hiking but it started to rain and I started to have some car trouble so no hiking today. I did enjoy sometime to myself though. Mom was sleeping when I got back at 3:30pm and that’s when Patti and I got mom changed out of her wet cloths. It was a much cooler afternoon with temps in the 70’s and cloudy so mom and I took a short drive. We drove up to Sioux Passage Park and both of us were quiet but mom was responsive whenever I talked to her. During dinner mom was quiet as well but pleasant. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm. Tonight mom was restless getting up and wanting to roam around the house she even laid down a couple times. I had her put on her nightgown and take off her pants around 9pm then she laid down for a nap. I woke her up after a little while so she could go to the bathroom and will get her up again before I go to bed. I’m doing this in hopes to let her get all of her bladder cleaned out so she doesn’t have a bladder accident. Overall today mom has been quiet and somewhat restless.
Thursday August 4th 2011
Mom had a number 1 bladder accident overnight around 7am. I changed the pad and the sheets while mom was in the bathroom. Mom and I had breakfast together and Andrea had mom changed. Mom was quiet during breakfast and took her pills with no problem. Today was a much cooler day with the temps only getting up to 92 and less humidity. I did get in a small walk before going shopping. Andrea said mom slept more today and not as sweet as yesterday. Mom was up at 1:30pm when I got back home. Mom and I both napped some in our chairs watching TV until 3:30pm when we went for a drive. It was a bit cloudy and cool enough to go for a short drive up to Sioux Passage Park. We talked about the clouds and scenery as we drove mom was about her normal talkativeness and in good spirits. Mom was quiet tonight during dinner but in a pleasant mood. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed around midnight. We watched TV and laughed a few times tonight. I got my normal amount of fussing when it came to mom changing and taking the pants off. Overall we me mom has been in good spirits and her normal talkativeness.
Wednesday August 3rd 2011
Mom had a number 1 bladder accident overnight around 5am. She had taken the diaper pad off sometime earlier so I had to change the bed sheets while she was in the bathroom. She had a pair of panties in the bathroom that she put on and left hanging the dirty ones on the back of the door. Andrea said mom was easier to wash this morning but Andrea had a hard time getting mom to take her pills. I was so tired I slept in then took a shower before leaving. Mom had already finished breakfast and was dressed by the time I left. Other than the pills both Andrea and Schatcie said mom was sweet today and slept only a little. I didn’t do much today other than run some errands and take my van into the shop for a tire rotation. Mom was up when I got back home at 3:30pm and was up the rest of the day and night. It was still too hot to take mom for a drive so we just watched some TV until dinner. Tonight mom was quiet during dinner but was sweet all day and night. Mom tried to talk some tonight but she is starting to have problems expressing what she wants to say and sometimes what comes out doesn’t make sense except to her. We talked and told each other that we love them several times as we watched TV this evening. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5pm and she went to bed around 12:30am. I had my normal fussing from mom as I had her change into her nightgown and take off her pants.
Tuesday August 2nd 2011
Mom had a small bladder accident overnight but all I had to change was the diaper pad she changed her panties herself when she was in the bathroom. We always leave a clean pair of panties in the bathroom for mom. Andrea got here after I cleaned up the diaper pad. Andrea fixed breakfast and mom and I ate together before I left. It was another hot day with temps getting to 102 and heat index around 113. So I didn’t do any hiking today. Andrea said mom was up most of the time she was here and was alert but quiet. Mom was up when I got back home at 1:30pm. I didn’t take mom for a drive today just to hot for her to be out in. Mom’s cough is getting much better now. Mom was sleepy this afternoon and fell asleep in her chair as we were watching TV I even fell asleep. Mom finally went in her room for a short nap. During dinner we talked about the birds and flowers. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 6pm and she went to bed around 11pm. We watched a talent show on TV tonight mom was responsive but quiet unless I said something or made her laugh. I got my normal fussing from mom on her changing and getting out of her pants.
Monday August 1st 2011
Mom had a small bladder accident overnight but didn’t get the bed wet. Then mom had another bladder accident this afternoon and we did change the bedding. Andrea took awhile but did get all of mom washed. Mom had already eaten by the time I finished getting ready for my annual physical which was good because I was fasting. It was another sunny hot day with temps hitting 100 and heat index around 113. After I had my physical I went out to eat I was hungry for the last time I ate was at 5:30pm the night before. Then I ran some errands staying in the air conditioning. Mom ended up sleeping most of the day and was just getting up when I got home at 3:30pm which is when she had her second bladder accident. It was to hot to take mom for a drive so we just watched some TV. Mom was still sleepy falling asleep in her chair I woke her up at dinner time. During dinner mom talked about the birds outside but could tell she was still sleepy. The last time mom had anything to eat or drink was at 5:30pm and she went to bed at midnight. After I had mom go to the bathroom a couple times mom went in her room and took a short nap. Then we just watched TV and laughed the rest of the night. I got about the normal fussing when it came to mom changing into her nightgown. Overall the first day of August mom was sleepy but in good spirits.
My journey with my mother through her Alzheimer's
