Where To, Bud?

I am currently on my third week "loading dose" of Namenda , (that's 15 mgs a day) and although I was hopeful there would be none of the side effects of the Aricept , it appears that now I am experiencing the famous "flu-like" symptoms so many of those commercials warn us about. It began Friday afternoon when I noticed a "stitch" in the center of my back. Not there continuously, but there when I'd move a certain way or sneeze. "Pleurisy", I thought to myself, and prepared to "ride it out" with some Tylenol (which I already take for my arthritis). Pleurisy is an inflammation of the lining of the lungs (the pleura) and it usually goes away in a few days. I get it often when the weather gets cooler. Having to work this weekend, I just thought I'd take things easy and just "brace" myself when I had to move that certain way or sneeze. Wrong. I awakened Saturday afternoon with a stiff neck, a headache, and sore leg ...

Many people think they are one and the same, but in reality the two are very different. I'll give you the "quickie" answer: Dementia is defined as the inability to do things you were once able to do. Think of dementia as a symptom and Alzheimer's as a cause. In essence, then, Alzheimer's causes dementia. A stroke can cause dementia. Parkinson's Disease can cause dementia. This means that dementia without a cause is not really a diagnosis, and Alzheimer's is the cause of dementia. As mentioned in the last blog entry, AD is the impairment of memory, language and behavior due to brain tissue abnormalities. I encourage you to inform yourself of "All Things Alzheimer's" by visiting sites such as http://www.alz.org/ and take the "Brain Tour" which is a very good way to learn about the brain and AD. =============================================================== In other news, it's my intent to describe some of my own symptoms as it...

You may be carrying the gene for it, which means you got it from one of your parents. Yes, it is rare. The last study shows 5% of those with AD may have acquired it from a parent. Both of mine had senile dementia before passing away in the 90's. Could it have been Alzheimer's? They were never diagnosed with it, but I suspect it was - although senile dementia and Alzheimer's are two very different diseases. More about that later. Before I link you to a very important study concerning Inherited Alzheimer's, you may be interested to know that the disease was actually discovered over 100 years ago, by Alois Alzheimer, a Bavarian physician who examined the brain tissue of one of his patients who had exhibited progressive problems with memory, language and behavior. Neurofibrillary (pronounced NUR -o- FI - bri -lair- ee ) tangles and neuritic (pronounced NUR - rit -tic) plaques are the technical descriptions of these changes. Most of you (as I was) are probably surprised th...

Many of the sites I mentioned previously talk about the personality changes one undergoes with AD. Not everyone will understand and that is something I understand very well, especially recently. My family is supportive, but as far as a "significant other" (are they still calling them that?), there is not one, and I would have to think very hard about asking someone to be that for me given the fact that this is going on. Would it be fair to her to put her through those changes? This is something I hope to address by reading the AD message boards. On another subject (and back to the subject of supplements), you may want to check out the benefit of taking Turmeric which has many healing properties. I take it combined with Bromelain and Boswellia in capsule form three times a day. It has been linked to helping with anxiety, mental derangement and a number of intestinal problems including flatulence (!) which is a common side effect of both Aricept and Namenda . This isn't...

Spinal tap is scheduled for November 7 th . One thing I can say about my neuro guy - he is leaving no stone unturned, and he knows me well enough to know that I am conversant with what's going on and he speaks plainly and without soft-pedalling anything. The weekend was uneventful as far as any symptoms or anything out of the norm. Only a few people know about this, which I do not think will always be the case. I don't talk about myself with that many people...... Here are some helpful places for more information on Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's Association: http://www.alz.org/ 1-800-272-3900 Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center: ( ADEAR ) http://www.alzheimers.org/ 1-800-438-4380 Alzheimer's Foundation of America ( AFA ): www. alzfdn .org 1-866-232-8484 Administration on Aging ( AoA ) (Department of Health and Human Services): http://www.aoa.gov/ 1-202 619-0724 The National Family Caregiver Association ( NFCA ): http://www.nfcacares.org/ 1-800-896-...

Am there. Doin ' tha t. I take supplements for everything . You name the ailment, I got the supplement for ya'! Arthritis? Glucosamine Chondroitin , Calcium. Heart? 81 mg aspirin, and to support heart health and stamina, CO-Q10 50 mg, Fish Oil, Potassium Prostate? Saw Palmetto Do you get the idea? That's only a fraction of the vitamins and supplements I take 3 times a day ! They are like a meal all on their own, there are so many! ( for a complete list of EVERYTHING I take - supplement-wise - send me an e-mail) "Yeah, but do they work , Bill?" Who the frigg knows , Dude???? All I know is that I got to be 58 years old, have arthritis (rheumatoid and gouty), am depressed (well , DUH !) , but am otherwise in the best of health. Tell you what: I'll stop taking them and we'll see, okay???? NOT! Even if they were all placebos, I'd still take them, because I believe they work, okay? Which is why I am so pissed that my mind has decided to take a permanent...

At the suggestion of a friend, and to keep my memory sharp, I have begun playing WoW , a role playing game, and I am enjoying it immensely. In addition to riding my bicycle, reading and playing guitar, I am staying busy and doing things I enjoy doing anyway, so I tend not to dwell on the AZ too much. Also. recently I have begun spending time with my grandson Julian and am starting to teach him a few chords on the guitar. I find this very enjoyable as well. He's a very bright kid, and I find myself looking forward to his next visit with me. I suppose what I am trying to convey is that keeping busy and occupying my mind creatively is a kind of self-help program, and in addition to the Namenda (10 mg a day), I hope to stay "ahead of the game". The dysphagia hasn't reared its ugly head in the last few days, so I am hoping that this was a transient thing. One thing I have noticed is that I am repeating myself either with questions or statements. Last week I told a joke t...

It's Monday morning and I am about to finish my third 12-hour shift, with the next four days off. It is at work where I feel the most comfortable and least forgetful, because for the most part my work is routine, although I never know what may come through the ER. By the time I get in at 7 am, I am too tired to do anything but sleep, so the AZ isn't as much a problem at those times. It is while I have my days off that I must write things down and do them as listed, or else they won't get done. I will add to this blog also during my days off and note those things which may be important. Bill

"Well, who wants to know?", I thought to myself as I pondered the name for this blog. Could be a taxi driver or it could be Charon, the infamous ferryman of the mythical river Styx, waiting to take me and my soul across its dark waters. Okay, a taxi is a familiar thing - it is a car and I have been in cars. I have also been on roads which usually have a finite beginning and ending: a destination, as it were. I have also been on boats and on the water which carries them, but here there's a little more navigation involved - and much more danger, I think. Never one to take the easy route, I decide on Charon and my answer to him is: "The Elysian Fields, if you please, dark Dude. Hades if we must, but for now how about you just get me to the other side, and let's figure it out from there, okay?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So let's leave these two travelers (one of whom knows where they're going, t...

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