Sometimes, Someone ELSE Can Say It Better

Such as this guy:



That was an excerpt from a DVD/Book he wrote, but pretty much puts it all into perspective, as far as I'm concerned.

What he is telling us is what I would like to say as well: "I'm still intellectually "sound", so as long as I have that "soundness of mind", even though it frustrates me, wait and let me come up with the word I can't remember. If I can't, I'll ask you for help."

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This doesn't happen very often, but recently I linked you to a site which purported to explain the difference between "dementia" and "Alzheimer's Disease".

My counsellor, Suzette read that link, decided there were some things written there which weren't all together factual, and sends us the following clarification. In retrospect, had I not been so all-fired anxious to get away from the bright screen because of the eye infection (much improved, BTW), I should have sent it to her first to make sure it was accurate.

Here then, is what Suzette wants us to know:

"Dementia is a very broad “umbrella” term. If someone gets a diagnosis of dementia, it just means they have a loss of cognitive functioning, in at least 2 of these categories: memory, language, visual/spatial function, or judgment/reasoning—severe enough to interfere with daily life. (So that diagnosis doesn’t really tell you any more than what was probably already known!)

A doctor who specializes in dementia will investigate the person’s symptoms to give a more specific diagnosis naming the CAUSE of the dementia. Some causes of dementia are treatable or reversible, like drug interactions, infections, thyroid problems, depression, or vitamin deficiencies, and the onset can be sudden—it doesn’t have to be gradual, as the article implied.

Other causes of dementia, like AD, Lewy Body dementia, and frontal-temporal dementia, are irreversible, and in most cases the onset IS gradual. (Alzheimer’s accounts for about 70% of ALL cases/causes of dementia.)

So if a person says, “my mom doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, she just has a little bit of dementia”, the mom either has one of the causes of dementia that can be treated, or she is in the early stages of one of the other dementias--and the likeliest of these is AD."

Thank you, Suzette.
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Still in the process of finalizing everything for the podcast, so "stay tuned" (HA!) to this blog for an official launch date and time.

You may remember in a blog from a few days ago, I mentioned that I hoped two of my favorite charities would receive a financial Christmas gift this month?

It is my pleasure to tell you, that this happened Tuesday night, and as soon as "Santa" sends the check, two PayPal donations will be made: One to the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association and one to Paulding Humane Society!

More to come about this on the podcast.

I noticed that PHS has crept to #13 in the state's standings of "The Shelter Challenge".

We have been there before (matter of fact, I think we've been at #10), and with only 17 days remaining there's not much time, but I have to hope that the "Ghost of Christmas Present" will provide us with a sudden "surge" of votes to bring us to where we need to be.

Here's our "poster pet" Murphy reminding us that somewhere out there right now is a cold, wet and hungry doggie or kitty, needing some human love.

Thanks

Bill