Sunday, June 27, 2010

Please let it be a uti

Please let it be a urinary tract infection

The past couple weeks Chrissy has struggled more so with daytime urinary incontinence so I was really surprised with the two calls last night, long after she had gone to bed, that she was having trouble with her bladder.   Now I'm thinking it might be another uti.  I am actually hoping it is a urinary tract infection and not that she now is unable to recognize her need to go.  A couple days ago I began encouraging her to go to the bathroom every couple hours to "just see."  Many times she would return and say, "I guess I did need to go!"  Not my ideal; I had remembered reading that Bob at http://www.alzheimersreadingroom.com/  believes in patterns and uses this with his mother. 

Knowing that I would be writing this morning about my hope that Chrissy's struggle was another uti and not progression of ...... the word I hesitate to write out in this sentence.  I thought I would research urinary incontinence, and of course the first place was The Alzheimer's Reading Room - look what I found:  Keeping The Love Alive: The Magic of Water by Sheryl Lynn.  I know the importance of water but geez, never thought that "the act of drinking  water would stimulate her dehydrated brain to wake up."  Even sips of water.

I now have a plan - going today to purchase three pretty glasses that are small and lightweight.  We will establish these as Chrissy's water glasses for morning, noon, and evening.  We will continue every few hours with encouragement or reminders to go to the bathroom and "just try."  I'll also pick up a few lemons for her to try, thus giving her a choice, water plain or with lemon.  And, of course, a doctor's visit to check for a uti.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Alzheimer's Reading Room: What is it like to be an Alzheimer’s Caregiver? Judy Dearing#more

Alzheimer's Reading Room: What is it like to be an Alzheimer’s Caregiver? Judy Dearing

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Good Day


Here is Ms. Chrissy peeling an apple while relaxing on our deck! Yesterday was such a good day for her. She stayed at my house for almost two hours and later went with me to run errands. It has been way over a year since she has been that active.

Later that afternoon I walked in her house and found all the bed linens in the hallway floor, three shelves emptied. She was looking for a particular bed sheet that had my name on it. Chrissy has a generous spirit and tends to give her best away sometimes. I labeled some of her linens hoping they might stay around. Anyway, after gathering everything off the floor, guess where we found her soft bed sheet? Yes, on her bed! Her only comment was, "I knew it was here somewhere." So, our project for today is to match, fold, and put away bed linens.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Doe-Rae-Me

I'm happy to write that Chrissy's absent stare and dark place seems to have finally moved on. This one lasted much longer, maybe because back and leg pain was present also. This is different because, for the most part of these past seven years, she has not focused on pain, almost like it's not even recognized.

Today at lunch we were around the table and I leaned in toward her and said, "guess what we did this morning" to which she promptly pointed that finger and said, "did you skip church this morning?!" Now this was just too funny because while we did attend church this morning, we slipped out early - after the music and before the pastor began. Typical of Chrissy before dementia - parental mode with that legalistic finger! My sweet man just grinned at her pointed finger!

this snapshot was a pose - she normally doesn't smile when she points her finger

More and more Chrissy will look over at me as if to say something but has forgotten that quickly. The other night while watching TV she looked over and said, "doe-rae-me" and just grinned! When I asked what she was talking about she smiled and said, "I need some doe-rae-me!" Money! She was asking me to go to her bank and get her some money! I so wished I had a picture of her happy face when I guessed her reference to money.