Mixed Emotions, Etc.....

By Bill Craig
I don't know how I feel about this, but here's a site you may find helpful if you have a loved one with AD: http://www.alzstore.com/index.html.

I probably need that time/date clock, but I'm not really too thrilled about the price. Right now I'm still fine looking at the bottom right hand corner of my computer, and sending myself reminders with my YAHOO account about appointments, work schedule, company coming, etc.

Had an episode this evening when I could not find my car keys, and I turned the place upside down till I was almost late for work. Last place I looked is where they were: they had fallen into my courier bag (my so-called "Man-Purse" :>)) when I laid them on top of it instead of on the kitchen table. I guess I need a better system, right? I'll make a sign that says CAR KEYS in big letters with a hook to hang them on.

I get a little nuts when I lose something like my keys or my glasses and I don't always stop and think "rationally" when that happens. I'll look in a few places, and then I'll convince myself that I did something stupid and left them in the car or in the door. Then I'll think that Bert (my cat) might have batted them off the table and played with them till he bats them under the couch (although he never has done anything like that), and then I get really stupid and think someone's come and taken them, because I sometimes don't lock the door when I come home.

If you're thinking "I bet he's a joy to live with", you don't know the half of it!:)

Woke up this afternoon with a "back of the head" headache, but nothing as incapacitating as I had after the spinal tap. This leads me to believe that possibly all my spinal fluid hasn't come back. I'll be seeing the neuro guy next Tuesday so we'll see what's new at that time.

Thanks as always for reading my blog!

Bill

Comments

Timespanner said…
I have the frantic "looking for the keys" thing more often than I should myself, Bill. In my case, it's just a matter of not leaving items like them (or my watch) in places where I usually leave them, and then doing the whole anxiety thing as I rip the place apart looking for them.

Big signs saying "Car Keys" may very well be a good idea. I could do with doing something like that around here, I think.
November 23, 2008 at 12:06 AM
Bill Craig said…
Well, I know there should be a "Time Out and take a breath, Bill" pause, but when I am in a time crunch I just don't do that, so maybe gettting in the habit of hanging the keys ina certain spot is the way to go, Lisa.

I have also ben very lax about leaving my car lights on when I get in in the morning - my automatic turn off stopped working about 3 months ago, so I guess I need another sign in the car! :)

I hope you're doing well in NZ, Lisa. Are you excited about The Hobbit filming there again?

Thanks

Bill
November 23, 2008 at 5:21 AM
Timespanner said…
Yikes! Leaving the car-lights on would be particularly bad. Flat batteries, where there's no nearby help, can't be good. A checklist, maybe, posted up somewhere in the car? Then, of course, you'd have to have a habit of looking at the list ...

Tell you what I am looking forward to, kind of hobbit-wise: next year, I'm attending a national conference of historical societies in a place called Matamata. Not too far from Auckland. Anyway, they have Hobbiton there, where part of LOTR was filmed. A bit of a tour is part of the conference itinerary. I intend to take my camera down with me, so expect to see some shots if I don't get the shakes. :-)
November 23, 2008 at 5:46 AM
Ttom said…
Bill,

I'm not the one to give suggestions on not loosing things. I was hoping that you could help me. Gerry tells me that "together we make a half wit".

Later dude!
November 23, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Anonymous said…
Hi Bill, I stumbled upon your site via a link from Daily Dementia etc. My mom was diagnosed last year with AD, so I was doing some general websurfing on the subject. Your posts are so interesting to read and have lots of great information. thanks for pointing out that store - very cool stuff!
June 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Thanks, Suzette!

By Bill Craig
Image
My friend and dementia counsellor Suzette recently wrote a very informative (and flattering) article about the "German Boy" and his upcoming bike ride, and you may see it by clicking the title of this entry. I am very appreciative of her and the GA chapter of the Alzheimer's Association for supporting me, and my ride is dedicated to them, Alzheimer patients and their caregivers as well as the four-footers. Incidentally, D and I were finally able to attend this month's Forget Me Not luncheon (for Alzheimer's patients and their care givers) at South of La Paz Mexican restaurant in Atlanta and I'd like to thank my friend for making this possible. Really , Suzette's so sweet she makes ya wanna roll over and do all kinds of doggy tricks for her! I kid, of course, but I don't think I have ever met a more charismatic person in my life. It was also a pleasure to meet and converse with Kathy Simpson who also works with the Georgia chapter. Kathy and I have e-m...
Read more

Skipping Ahead A Bit In The Memoirs

By Bill Craig
Image
This is part of something I wrote on another message board with some editing, okay? -------------------------------------------------------------------------- My very good friend on the Dope, Oakminster , brought this to mind when he shared this in a thread of mine called "Your Favorite Commercials". Okay, I have already mentioned that my American soldier Dad brought me and my German Mom and brother to the US in 1960. At that time, I still spoke with a very heavy German accent and did my best to try to fit in. One of the ways was to "go out" for "Midget Football" and it was my first encounter with who would prove to be an inspiration to me and I am sure many others: Coach Roger Sauls who passed away last year. Coach was very patient with me, teaching me the "ins and outs" of throwing and kicking that strange looking egg-shaped ball! In those days, a lot of little boys went out for it and we all had our heroes on the Villa Rica Wildcats Varsity t...
Read more

Alzheimer's Advocacy Forum 2011

By Bill Craig
Image
I have been given a great opportunity and honor from my local Alzheimer's Association and my counsellors Suzette and Kathy, and I wanted to tell y'all about it. It is a chance to be granted a scholarship to attend the Public Policy Forum/Advocacy Action Summit which will be May 15-17 2011 in Washington, DC. It will be a time to become educated about the issues, learn new skills, network with fellow advocates and take our message directly to members of Congress to fight for our legislative agenda and I am honored to have been chosen to have my name submitted for this event. If I am chosen to receive the scholarship, I plan not only to participate in all of the above events, but to serve as a "reporter" and write about what I see and experience there. This will also allow me to put to use my journalistic skills which have been "moth-balled" of late. Quoting from Karen Kauffman's* article, 2010 was a year of optimism for those of us in Alzheimer's Advo...
Read more