2015: HELL YEAR

By Bill Craig
Dear Friends and Readers

I wish so much I could describe the year in a different "light", but when I explain my reasons for the above post title, maybe you will understand my pessimistic attitude.

While considering the format of this particular entry, I thought to myself, "You know? Some of this stuff actually happened simultaneously, so how are you going to present it all?  Time-wise? No format at all? In terms of severity? All three?"

As most of you are familiar with my style of writing, why don't we just get started? I promise not to lead you astray and bring you back safe and sound, okay?

You're in good (if shaky and older) hands.

========================
========================

Pretty much all of 2015 made me wanna yell, "Cut!!!, Time Out!!! Rewrite!!", , but there was no time for that. It seemed there was one calamity after another, and hardly any of them got solved/resolved, because....."....there was no time...".

=======================
=======================

I have already written about Dondra's heart problem called "Atrial Fibrillation". Well, this problem came up continually in 2015 resulting in numerous (14 in one month alone) hospitalizations that her cardiac surgeon finally installed a pacemaker to control her rate. Not the atrial fib - that still rears its ugly head several times a week - but the heart rate  and this set at 60 beats a minute.

=======================
=======================

A month later.......

During the last month and about a week ago, Dondra fell three times in one night as the result of 3 syncopal episodes. I managed to get her back to bed all but once. At that time I had to call the ambulance and get her to the hospital. Result: The meds again. She either gets too much of one or not enough of the other.

As I write, my wife (who we feared had a broken hip - she doesn't) is now in a rehab hospital and will stay as long as is needed in order to straighten out what's going on. She's been there one week now and her expected date of discharge is 3.17.2016 if  she's well enough by then. The good thing about that is, it costs us nothing - no copay, etc., and I am very relieved that she is there and being well taken care of. We are lucky that the hospital is only a very short distance from the house and it's no problem getting there.

I spend the night with her 6 nights out of the week and during the day I manage the house and take care of our cat Bert, who has now been diagnosed with Diabetes.

I feel very fortunate that except for the dementia I am healthy. I keep a lot of notes and talk to my brother who is there for me if I/we need groceries, etc. He has also "stepped up" and offered advice which is fantastic.

I will end this for now by asking for your thoughts and prayers as I always do in hopes that a solution will be found and Dondra can have as healthy as possible life again.

=====================
=====================



=====================
=====================

Please remember to click and feed our homeless four-legged friends. Nothing to buy and you can do it every day! Many thanks from both of us.


Bill and Dondra



The Animal Rescue Site


Comments

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