Where To, Bud?

Let's just let this be a little pot pourri of random thoughts, okay? Some stuff that happened in Germany when I was little: 1. I remember one of my teachers (in the German school - I had to go back and forth, according to wherever my Dad would be stationed, and depending on if they had an English-Speaking School on post - most of the time they didn't, so I often got caught inbetween the two languages), Dr. Hertz. Think of him as a very kind old man who loved to teach children, and one who understood my dilemma: a child born in Germany, mostly German, and soon to be travelling to the USA. German Math had us starting with decimals in the 4th grade, but when I got to the USA, it was fractions, so I had to re-learn everything: slow down, back-track, whatever . Anyway, it put me so far behind it confused me! Remember, I said most of my memoirs are going to be "out of sequence", okay? This is one of those (many) times! 2. Another German Christmas Memory: Knecht Ruprecht (T...

Loving it! No more screaming ambulance/rescue sirens calling my name! No next door neighbors complaining about my amplified guitar music (or sometimes playing my drums!) No more smelly sewers. I get to ride my bike (or run) without fear of being hit. In short, it was good move for my physical, mental and spiritual health. The little church we attend is also out in the country, has a very small membership, and is a very soothing place for me to be - even though me and "The Big Guy" are at odds sometimes! *LOL* Getting re-acquainted with my in-laws has also been very beneficial to me. My nephew-in-law Jimmy is a realtor and next week we'll be helping getting his float ready for the 4th of July parade. He had asked me for a suggestion of a theme, and I thought right away we needed an Alzheimer's float with me sitting in the middle, drooling, picking my nose and wetting my pants! *LOL* (None of my in-laws have yet accepted that I have EOAD or why I'm "not acting...

1. I miss the "old" me. The guy who'd do or say something absurd just to see who's paying attention. A "play on words", if you will. Case in point: A couple of weekends ago, the inlaws and D & I went out to eat at a very nice seafood restaurant. Very nice, but very small, and very popular. So much so, that if there's a lot of people eating at the same time, the three air conditioners cannot handle keeping everyone comfortable, so there's a lot of "menu-in-the-face-waving" going on, and, in my case, a lot of sweating. My niece: "Hot, isn't it, Bill?" Bill: "It's not the heat , it's the humanity !" (that's called a malapropism, by the way - Yogi Berra is really good at those!) Laughter all around. But see, that was the first time in a very long time, that I've felt that loose! 2. I don't smile that much anymore. On the contrary, sometimes it's all I can do to keep from crying, and if you we...

I'm on this one a little late, peeps (been kinda busy), but this article (click on the title above, to take you to the article, which purports that early diagnosis of AD saves money!) really sorta points out the obvious, don't you think? And then I'd like to link you to an article which my friend Natalie has on her website: http://www.dailydementianews.com http://ezinearticles.com/?Narcissism-and-the-Aging-Adult---What-Caregivers-Can-Do-to-Deal-With-This-Difficult-Task&id=2425128 The subject is narcissism, and it made me smile when I saw it, because a former SO accused me of being that way. What? Just because I go to tan, like to look and dress nice, and think I'm "God's Gift To Women"???? That last was a joke: I don't think that at all. The best compliment I ever had about my looks was that I am "attractive in a John-Wayne kinda way". I have also been accused of looking like Jerry Springer, John Denver, Elton John and (sometimes) the la...

I've written a lot about the mental changes, but as the body ages, it continues to deteriorate, and not just mentally . I don't mean this to sound like a whine, okay, but you've read my notes about the embedded kidney stone, and the rheumatoid arthritis, right? Well, now my neck's getting stiff (I thought it was a transient side effect from the lumbar puncture) and my primary care doc tells me it's a worsening of the arthritis. Okay, fine. I can deal with that too, but give me chance to at least "catch up", okay???? What I am trying to convey to you is that it isn't only the Alzheimer's which needs to be considered in us so-called "Senior Citizens", it is the body as well. I am hoping that the upcoming changes in our nation's health-care system will help to alleviate that problem, but I do not see how it can without raising taxes, OR "robbing Peter to pay Paul". Some good news: I recently began riding my road bike, (The ...

Short and sweet (we're busy moving some stuff) so here's a "fitting" musical tribute. (Sorry, YouTube won't let me embed this one. Click the title above) Paulding Humane has dropped to 13th place state-wide. Please remember to click to feed and vote! Thanks Bill

Thanks to my Alzheimer's counsellor Suzette for sending me the information of this upcoming play at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis! You can click on the title to have a look at the site and find out about the performance. My philosophy with this blog has always been to keep a sense of humor about what is going on with me, and I think something like this play would be right up my alley. It is for this reason that I hope I can see a local performance here in Atlanta, and I also hope the publication/production rights will be released soon, so the plays can be produced locally by small "community theatres". I also hope the proceeds from any and all performances will go right back into AD Research! I think this would be an awesome educational tool for those who aren't sure what they're hearing when told someone has "Early" or "Young" Onset AD. Those of you who are following this blog (and BTW, WELCOME "foodhoe" ! Our 27th blog followe...

Oh, God, y'all! I am wore slap-out! *LOL* Got there at 8:3o this morning and met with Dr. Ann Sollinger, PhD for a preliminary interview. She asked the questions that decided if this would be a short or all-day session. I found her very professional and empathetic. There were times when I didn't trust myself to speak, and she waited while I "pulled myself together", and I appreciated that so much. I was so apprehensive about the testing that I didn't sleep at all last night, and I know I looked a mess, but she put me so at ease with her quiet manner, that I soon settled right in. I know I'm in good hands! At 9, my administrator Ashley walked in, took out my brain, examined it, asked it a lot of questions, and then re-inserted it, devoid of any delusions of grandeur I might have ever had of being a genius. I will recount here what I remember of that we did those 6 hours. (It won't be much, I promise!) 1. I was shown some diagrams and asked to reproduce them...

Yep, it's finally happening - after 4 months of postponements and re-scheduling - I go to the Wesley Woods Neurological Center this morning in about 4 hours. I have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I am happy to finally get tested , but on the other I am afraid of the outcome (what stage I am actually in, as compared to the rest of the nation who have been diagnosed with AD). It's also a huge step in getting my Social Security Disability Income started. That's a whole other headache in itself, as anyone who's ever applied for it can tell you. This is why they have SSDI lawyers who take your case on contigency once you are turned down the first time. I have a law firm already in place and waiting. So this will be a two-part entry. I will write again once I get home from the hospital. Thanks Bill

It doesn't only wear away the individual's Psyche, it also works on that of those around him/her. Friends and loved ones are constantly having to "adjust", to "re-track" and sometimes they are caught unaware, when we suddenly "tune them out". Sometimes in mid-sentence. Bless them, they suddenly just look at each other and just....wait..... for the re-connect. Sometimes it comes, and sometimes the subject just gets put on another "track" and "they" have to re-adjust. I know this, because D has told me that it has happened with me. I can be sitting, eating dinner, and all of a sudden stare into nothingness. I keep having to ask for peoples' patience because my short-term memory sucks so bad. One example: My bicycle. I recently forgot how to put air into my road-tires, so I had to take the Trek 100o Road Bike to the local bike shop. Alan took one look at me, one look at the bike I was bringing him, another look at the computer...

There was very little "continuity" in my young life. I had a "here and gone again" Dad, and a mother who did the best she could to raise me though she was very ill (anemic) much of the time. Let me write as much as I know about my Mom, so you can get to know her better too, okay, because to know me you are going to need to know her , since she and I were pretty much alone and inseparable during those years. At age 14 Anita ran away from home along with her sister Johanna. These were the WWII years and they ran from East to West Germany, where they both went to work in a munitions factory making bombs. Why did they run away from home? They were two of 10 children born to Willi and Helene Kühn (pronounce it "Q-en", 'cause you can't make that fluted noise which produces the ü umlaut) and my German grandfather ("Opa") was a tyrant who stayed drunk when he wasn't working in the coal mines of Zeitz, East Germany. I found out in my adult ...

I caught that line of dialogue in Clint Eastwood's latest film, Gran Torino , and while it didn't upset me all that much, it did bring home the fact that however it's used, it's now a very prevalent part of our vocabulary. I suppose it isn't really meant as an insult, and would only be said to someone close, but I can't see the name of another disease being used in its place, can you? Oh, I know we'll use words teasingly, as in "You're such a spaz!" (spastic) or "What a Maroon!" (moron), but I don't think we'd ever hear something like, "What's the matter with you ???? You got Multiple Sclerosis, or somethin'?" So I guess the answer to the above question would be, "Yes, matter of fact, I have. Let me tell you about it!" At that point, one of three things could happen: 1. The person one is conversing with would break out in a short, barking laugh, which will turn into a shocked look when one doesn...

I have a very busy week coming up, with lots of appointments, testing, etc., so I'm going to kick back and relax with my in-laws at West Point Lake, to rest up. Last week wasn't too spectacular, and I needed a little extra help from my EOAD Association friends, and BeckyP sent me this clip - which pretty much says it all, thank you, Becky . As I am sure y'all are aware, I can be counted on to provide some "food for thought" every now and then, so I'll be back "when the week is new.....and I'll have more ideas for you" (love you, Fred Rogers!), and we'll continue the "Saga of Billy The Kid - German Style", as well. Thanks, and don't forget the critters! Bill

My friend, Mike Donohue, has "guest-blogged" here before, and I have obtained his permission to reprint a blog entry of his from earlier this month. Mike is 100% more articulate and eloquent than me, and I like his attitude so much that I have asked future permission to include his writings here. He has graciously consented, and here is his report from the conference: Conference in Washington DC 6/4/2009 My wife Diane and I, on June 3, 2009, participated in a panel to address the specific needs of Early Stage AD in Washington D.C., at a conference conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association and the Federal Administration on Aging (AoA). The panel consisted of three AD Afflicted persons and their Caregivers. The three with AD were members of the National Alzheimer’s Association Advisory Board. They were Susan Pointer, Monroe LA, and her daughter; Karen Zimmerman, Fairfax County VA, and her husband; and Diane and me, Minneapolis, MN. It was an honor to be able to personally presen...

This is the Methodist Church where Dondra and I were married. It's very small and could almost be considered a chapel. Small membership too, but ya know what? THAT is just fine with the "German Boy"! I LOVE small churches. This one is at the altar, and were my knees a'knockin? Yeah , they were! I plan to add more ASAP, but I'm having difficulty with PICASA, since they are copyrighted, and it will only let me save certain ones to MY PICTURES, sorry! Remember to click to feed and click to vote, please? I haven't given up, even though I think THEY have. I still think we can do this so let's do it! :) Just checked and Paulding Humane has now dropped to #12 in our state, so if you know someone who doesn't know about clicking and voting, please tell 'em okay? Also remember that every time you click the ad box PHS and Alzheimer's Research share in the proceeds! :) Thanks for your visit! I love y'all! Enjoy this pretty song!

Okay, before y'all think of me as Jack Dawkins, The Artful Dodger in "Oliver", let me clarify a few things: 1. My uncles and I never stole for re-sale. We only stole food, and only if we had to, okay, because there were times when we didn't have to and there was plenty to eat. The law of averages will catch up with a thief sooner or later, right? 2. We never conned anyone out of anything. Didn't have to - times were tough all the way around in Communist-Occupied East Germany, and no one had anything to be conned out of them anyway. In short, we asked first (begged, as I wrote) and then did what we needed to do. 3. Did we know it was wrong? Well hell YEAH we did! And we also got caught! Mostly stealing eggs out of a farmer's hen house or cabbages and asparagus from his fields. Were we arrested? No, there wouldn't have been room to hold us all, since it was so prevalent in those times. What did happen is that the "victim" had the right to consc...

First of all, permit me an OMG , because this blog just picked up another follower: "Rockie", right? THANKS! ===================================================================================== Okay, just to re-cap: I was born in 1949 to a German mother and an American (soldier) father. With me so far, right? Okay, here we go with a "mish-mash" of what I remember of my "growing up" years in Germany. First off, we travelled a lot. My Dad (because of the job he had in the Army) kept getting re-assigned, and sometimes me and my Mom could go, but sometimes we couldn't. One of those times, (before my brother was born) my mother got really sick. I think it was a kind of pneumonia, but in those years, pneumonia could really kick your ass, and that is what happened to her. It really laid her out, and because my Dad was so busy, it was decided that I go to my Oma's (German slang for "Grandmother") for a while. I was 8 then. My Oma lived in Zeitz,...

...... are still coming, kids. My niece Deirdre is putting them together into a very special place on the net, and when she gets them done, we will post a link there. Meanwhile, let me just give you a quick update on that day and what all happened: 1. Forgot how to tie a Windsor knot in my tie, and had to ask for help 2. Had to pee, forgot to zip, and almost walked down the aisle that way, had it not been for my Sis-In-law. 3. Reunited with my best friend from High School after 15 years of not having any contact. I am very excited because he, in the meantime, has become a very successful performer of his own Christian music, and he's invited me into his home studio to play and perhaps to record with him. I am currently in the process of getting my fingers "calloused-up" by playing my accoustic-electric again and practicing my voice lessons. I also offered him my services as a drummer, so I'll be able to get my Pearls out of the closet again as well! Other Updates 1. I...