Posted on

Lost Yet Again at Chautauqua

This is a post I would rather not write. I am driven to do so by the possibility someone out there might have the mistaken idea that I am caring for Kate perfectly. I left Kate at the apartment this afternoon for about an hour and a half. When I returned, she was gone.

I wouldn’t have done this at all if I hadn’t gotten her out of bed this morning at 10:30 to get to the morning lecture at 10:45. That was followed by lunch, a quick stop by the apartment to brush teeth, and on to a 2:00 lecture with Bill Moyers. Before coming this year, there were two speakers I definitely wanted to hear. One is Alan Cooperman who heads the division of research on religion at Pew Research. I have read so many of his study findings and wanted to hear his presentation.

Knowing that Kate would want to have a break, I brought her back to the apartment. She said she was going to rest a while. I told her I didn’t want her to go anywhere. She said, “Oh, I wouldn’t go anywhere.” Of course, I knew she couldn’t remember.

When I returned and found her gone, I was panicked. It was daylight, and it is a safe place. On the other hand, it was beginning to rain. I knew she hadn’t taken an umbrella or rain jacket. The first thing I did was to walk across the street to the Brick Walk Cafe to see if she might be there. Then I walked around the Plaza and went into the book store. I came back to the apartment and checked again. I saw the neighbor in the apartment next to us and told her to be on the look out. I left to retrace my steps and still did not find her. I decided to contact security. I did so by going to the visitors’ center. They called security for me. I gave them a description of her. Then I went to the market here on the plaza and bought some gauze and hydrogen peroxide to clean up several cuts to my arm. I had taken a fall on the way back from the 3:30 lecture. There I told the people about Kate. I also told a driver of one of the small buses that circulate the area to be on alert for her. I told people at a dress shop in St. Elmo about her as well. On the way back to the apartment I saw a young man, Kyle, who was driving a golf cart and stopped him. It turned out he was with security and was out looking for her. As I was talking to him, I got a call from a man who said she was with him on Robert Street. I thought he was with security, but it turned out that he was with the Ecumenical House that is around the corner from our apartment. She apparently wandered over there. I will have to find out how he got my phone number and to thank him.

Posted on

Feeling Guilty (Again)

This is not my “finest hour.” After causing two panic attacks this week, I frightened Kate tonight. After dinner, we came into our bedroom where I turned on the news, and she got on her computer for the first time in 8-12 months. About 7:15, she wanted to go outside. She apparently knew that I had closed up for the night and asked which door she could go out. I told her any one she wanted. She pointed to the front door, and I said that would be fine
Just before 8:00 I started to call her inside. She had been a bit bored today; so I decided to let her remain outside longer than usual. Just before 8:30, I went out to call her in. She was standing on the walkway in front of our house. At first she seemed a little irritated with me. I said, “Did you want me to call you in earlier?” She said yes and came inside. Then she broke into tears. She said she had tried to get inside but everything was closed and locked. Then I realized that she had not remembered that she had come out the front door which had remained opened the whole time she was outside. She said she didn’t know where I was. She said she thought I was trying to teach her a lesson. She just got out of the shower and seemed to be all right. I told her I felt bad for not calling her in sooner. Then she started crying again. She has her nightgown on and is sitting on the bed in tears.

I should add that I have tried to console her, but she keeps saying, “That’s all right. I’ll be fine.” She has also said, “It’s not your fault.” She is still crying.

The Next Morning

Shortly after my previous post last night, I got into bed with Kate and held her. She was still whimpering, but shortly she settled down. This morning I wanted to ask if she remembered the events of last night but felt it was wiser not to remind her. All is well now. I, too, am feeling better.

Posted on

My Bad (again)

About 15 minutes before we were to leave for Kate’s PEO meeting, I went back to her office/dressing room. I found that she had already dressed and was wearing a top that I didn’t think was suitable for her meeting. I told her I had several others she might choose from that would be better. I brought them to her, and she picked one out. I left her to change tops while I put the other two back in my closet. A few minutes later Kate came out with a totally different top that I thought was not as suitable as the one she had previously picked out. I said, “You didn’t wear the top you picked out.” She was horribly frustrated and asked, “Where is it?” She became emotional and started crying. I went to her room and picked up the top she had originally chosen and brought it to her. She continued to be upset as we drove away. I decided that I should put on some relaxing music to calm her as we drove. When I turned on the audio system, it was set on high volume and I was unable to turn it down quickly enough. She is very sensitive about sudden noises, especially loud one. I apologized. She said, “You always do that.” So this was a case of my adding insult to injury. I didn’t handle this well though my intentions were good.

Posted on

Saying the Wrong Thing

This morning I washed my clothes and took them out of the dryer about 10 minutes before I had to leave for Sunday school. I folded and put away my underwear and socks but left the rest (not very much) on our bed. I almost always wash my things separate from Kate’s because so often she has gotten my clothes and worn them. This is an easy way to retrieve them. That has been a special problem with my socks and t-shirts. She wears the t-shirts when she is working in the yard, and they get so dirty that they don’t come clean during washing. Being something of a “Neatnik,” I don’t like to wear them to the Y. Before I started doing my own washing, I had to buy extra t-shirts, but that didn’t help. Invariably she would get them. I now have only a few shirts that I can wear to the Y.

When I got back from church, I noticed that she had folded several pair of socks and underwear that I had missed before leaving. This afternoon as I was watching football, she worked in the yard. Kevin called, and I went out to the yard to get Kate. I noticed that she was wearing one of the two of the t-shirts that had been in the wash. When I got off the phone with Kevin, I looked in my closet where I keep them and found that she had not put the other nicer t-shirt in there. About 15 minutes ago, I went out to check on her. I mentioned that I had noticed that she was wearing my shirt. She immediately reacted with sorrow. I told her it was all right. I just wanted to make sure that I got the other shirt. She was so hurt that I didn’t follow up on it. This is the kind of thing I try to prevent from happening. I don’t want to hurt her. On the other hand, I do want my shirt. I think I will try buying new shirts and just work hard to wash them and put them up before she can see them.

8:50 pm

About an hour later, I was getting my clothes ready for tomorrow and noticed that I needed to get that t-shirt back from Kate. Then I went to get out my socks and noticed that the three pair of socks that had been in the wash were nowhere to be found. I went to Kate to ask. Once again she had a mild emotional reaction as though she were going into a panic attack. She had no idea where they were and didn’t recall having seen them. I looked on her bed in her office and found them. I found the t-shirt on the bed in the large guest room. I will continue to try not to put her in this position, but I fear these things will only increase.

Posted on

Taking Medications

I have the responsibility of putting Kate’s medications in her pill box every week. I also assume responsibility for checking behind her to see that she actually takes them. Yesterday I slipped, and she missed both her morning and evening medications. This is not critical except for Venlafaxine which she takes every morning. In the past I have found that if 48 hours pass since her last dose of Venlafaxine, she suffers from an unsettled stomach.

When I discovered that she had not had her Venlafaxine yesterday, I knew that she needed it right away and that if she didn’t get it by noon she might have the effects of an unsettled stomach. It turns out that this started shortly after I gave her the morning medications including Venlafaxine. I went to the Y and also to have coffee with a friend. When I got home to take her to the bank where she was to sign some papers, I discovered that the stomach problems had occurred even though she had had her Venlafaxine. We went ahead to the bank, but she did not feel well and didn’t want to stop for lunch. We headed home. Once home, she still did not feel like eating; so I went to get a bite. When I returned home, she was feeling all right. I asked her if she wanted me to take her to get something to eat. She said that she didn’t, that she would just get something here. She is now up and dressed. She walked into the kitchen where I am typing this post and said she was ready to get something to eat. That means we are off. We’ll probably return home, before leaving for her eye doctor’s appointment at 3:00 p.m.

Posted on

Losing things

During the time we were in Chautauqua, Kate lost a sweater left under her seat at the opera and her purse that I left beside her seat at Scott Roselle’s radio talk show that we attended each morning. We recovered both of these. They had been delivered to the Lost and Found office.

On the trip home, Kate left her iPad either on the plane or the ladies room. We went back to both places and did not find it. On Monday I went out to buy another one. It was delivered to our house yesterday while we were in Nashville visiting with our friends, Angie and Tom Robinson.

While I can blame Kate’s Alzheimer’s for the major part of these losses, I feel responsibility as well. After all, I should be the one to make sure that we have all of her belongings. I am not good at remembering to get her things. I will continue to work on it, but I find, especially while traveling, I often have my own things to look out for, and it is easy not to take specific note of her things as well. I am far from perfect.

I am also thinking of the fact that I have lost her a number of times. That, too, is partially (perhaps largely) my fault. If I never let her out of my sight, this would not have happened.

Posted on

Booked a Cruise

Last night I bit the bullet and booked a 13-day cruise from Rome to Amsterdam. I had requested information on the cruise on their website on Monday and received an email that night. I sent an email asking about cancellation penalties if we should not be able to make the trip. I told him about Kate’s Alzheimer’s. His email response indicated that we could book for $600 and cancel up to Feb. 23, 2016. At that time we could purchase insurance that would cover the balance of the period before and during the trip. I called to talk with him after dinner last night. I discovered that the rooms were going rather quickly as this would be the christening cruise for one of their new ships. After asking questions and checking room availability. I went ahead with the booking figuring that I should have a much better idea of whether or not we can do it by Feb. 23.

Tomorrow we leave for Niagara-on-the-Lake and Chautauqua. We return on Saturday night, August 8. Things continue to go well though Kate’s short-term memory still brings surprises and requires careful coordination. For example, last Friday night after seeing Dreamgirls at the Bijou, Ellen told us she was having abdominal pain and that it was similar to what she had felt when she had had a kidney stone about 7 years ago. We ended up in the emergency room at Providence until almost 3:00 a.m. We got to bed at 3:30 and I was up at 7:30. Kate slept a little later. At lunch I asked her if she felt sleepy. She looked puzzled and asked why I would ask that. I explained that I thought maybe she hadn’t slept well. She said she had slept fine. It was clear that she had forgotten that we had been at the hospital with Ellen most of the night.

Yesterday we had a bump in the road. I had hired someone to power wash our patio, driveway, and brick wall. We had been to Lowe’s yesterday morning to buy some plants, and Kate had taken a large plastic container that I use in the trunk of the car when we bring home plants. This helps protect the trunk of the car. At any rate she had left it outside. It had rained and had created a mess in the container. She took it around back and dumped it out on the freshly clean drive right behind the garage. I reacted immediately and said something like “I just paid the guy the clean this.” That was all it took. She said, “I can never do anything right.” I have learned it is better for me not to say anything after a misstep like that. She went on to talk about how picky I am. Fortunately she calmed down, and it was all forgotten.

Then tonight we had another hiccup when I asked her if she had packed the new clothes she had bought the other day. She looked puzzled. I know that she has no idea where they are. She was frustrated and asked me to help her when we got back home from dinner. I told her I loved her, that I wanted to help her so much, but she wouldn’t let me. At least two of the outfits she had been pleased with and believed would be ideal for Chautauqua. My problem is that she won’t let me help her put them up so I know where they are. I also try to take pictures of new clothes, but she put them up before I could take pictures. It is frustrating for me, and I know it must be even more so for her.

Posted on

Not Learning Enough Patience

It is now fall. That means another time for planting. We have been to Lowe’‘s a couple of times already. Friday Kate mentioned that she wanted me to take her back to get some more mums. Today after lunch I did just that. When we got to Lowe’s I noticed that she walked right by the table with the largest selection of mums that is right outside their main section. I got a cart and took it to her. I found her looking at a small section of mums like the ones she had purchased before. She didn’t get any. She walked around without appearing to have a plan. I am confident that she didn’t. Then she picked out a couple of plants that were not mums and continued looking at other plants that were clearly not mums. I suspect she had forgotten that she wanted to get mums; so I reminded her that she had wanted mums, and I wanted to make sure she didn’t get a full load before getting what she said she came for. She seemed to accept this, but before we could get back to the mums section, she picked out several other plants. If I hadn’t reminded her again, we might easily have purchased a full load and not gotten what we came for.

This, of course, is looking at it from my perspective. The reality (I believe) is that she doesn’t have a formal plan anyway. She just likes to buy things that she likes when she sees them. She can always find a place for them. She can tell when I get frustrated which must bother her, and it bothers me. I need to develop more patience to just let her do what she enjoys without trying to get her to approach things the way I would do.

Posted on

Continuing Ups and Downs

The past two days with Dad have been super ones. On Monday he was up when I got there. Yesterday he was still asleep but awoke easily. This has been a pattern for 3 weeks or so. Prior to that he had always complained that “I’m still asleep.” I am beginning to wonder if the change in his medicine might have made a difference. That’s the only reason I know of.

Both of the past two days he has been alert with no delusions. In fact, he entered into a conversation with the daughter-in-law of a woman who eats at the next table from Dad. I turns our her father was from Rogersville where Dad lived while a boy. They chatted about familiar things. He was amazingly clear headed. He also has continued to eat well. I think they are following up on my concerns about his diet and giving him things that don’t choke him as easily. For the most part, however, he has generally been eating well for several weeks starting about 2 weeks after coming back from the hospital.

There are several things to report about Kate. First, I hurt her unintentionally last week. It was a Monday night, and I had brought home something for us to eat. It was a beautiful afternoon; so we decided to eat outside. She wanted to eat at the table, but when I went over to the table I notice that it was messed up with potting soil that she had spilled while potting plants. Some of the soil had spilled over onto our new cushions. It had also rained earlier so there was a slight mess on the chairs. I said something to her about her having promised that she would watch out for the news cushions so they wouldn’t get messed up. I didn’t want them messed up so quickly, especially since we had done this in preparation for Dad’s birthday party.

I thought that I had made my remark as gently as I could, but it hurt her deeply, and I felt miserable. One of the things I have discovered is that she is very sensitive. I also believe a major part of this is that each event like this is another sign of her inability to do certain things. She is finding fewer and fewer things she can do well.

One example of her difficulty doing things is posting a message on Facebook. She asked me to show her how; so I brought up the screen with the space to enter her message and left the room. I’m not sure what happened, but she let me know it didn’t post. I set it up again, and she ran into another problem. Finally, on the third try with me by her side, she did it.

The really good news is something that I have mentioned before. In most respects, people would never know that she has Alzheimer’s. She is good in conversation. She only slips up on remembering who people are, but it is usually easy to get around that by being pleasant and acting like she knows them. The other day a neighbor, pulled up in the driveway when she saw Kate working in the front yard. Kate didn’t recognize her at all. She asked Kate for a copy of our neighborhood directory to give to 2 new families that have moved to our street. Kate told her to see me and that I would give them to her. When she asked me about the directories, I told her I was unaware that we had any remaining directories. I did this because Kate had been unable to locate any several weeks ago when we were working on the information for a new directory.

The directory is another of those tasks that is a problem for her. I have taken that over, and she hasn’t said a word. There are many things like that. She takes most of them very naturally. Other times she is bothered by my trying to help her with something she feels like she is able to do.

I am re-listening to a book by Barry Peterson called Jan’s Story. It is an account of his experiences with his wife who had Alzheimer’s. One of the things he mentioned is the change in conversations that he and his wife used to have. That is definitely happening to us. Kate cannot follow anything that is the least bit complex. I am quite accustomed to her saying, “Let’s not talk about it.” Often it doesn’t leave much that we can talk about except to reminisce – past experiences, places we have been, special moments shared together.

I am also noticing more memory loss. That is something that most people see as the key problem with Alzheimer’s, but I have felt that in the early years it is the inability to function well on everyday tasks that is the real problem. Before I really believed she had Alzheimer’s, I thought she was having a problem with depression. I have no doubts now that the problem was Alzheimer’s.

I continue to believe we are better off for having learned of her diagnosis. It has given us the opportunity to take advantage of our time together. I think we have both been committed to this end, and it has worked. We continue to enjoy ourselves. When we go to dinner as we did last night, it becomes a special moment for us even though it was just a Tuesday evening dinner. I am optimistic that we will have many of these times ahead even as she declines further.

Posted on

Lots of Caregiving

I am with Dad in the hospital. I received a call from Mountain Valley at 6:00 am Friday morning saying they had discovered rectal bleeding and recommended that he go to the hospital. This morning they performed an endoscopy and discovered that he has 3 ulcers in his upper intestine. That’s good news as it can be treated with Nexium which they are doing intravenously now. He’ll probably go back to Mountain Valley on Monday.

This is the second time in a week that we have taken him to the emergency room. It is on these occasions that one becomes keenly aware of the multitude of people Who are here on a daily basis. Yesterday as I took a break to call Larry, a woman in the parking lot called to me. She told me her daughter was very sick and needed a wheel chair. I went inside, got a wheel chair, went to her car and brought her in. I noticed the mother was struggling from some type of foot problem and suggested she might need a wheel chair as well. After leaving the daughter with an attendant at the check-in desk, I took another wheel chair out to the mother and brought her in.

Two friends from Littleton, CO, visited us for 2 nights this week. It was good to see them. Kate enjoyed their company and was unusually talkative. She gives a fair amount of misinformation, but it doesn’t usually matter as the listeners don’t know and won’t have occasion to discover the mistakes.

She continues to spend time in the yard which I have noted on several occasions is her therapy. The plants don’t complain or give suggestions and neither does anyone else. For me it does occasionally present a problem. That is usually when we are scheduled to go someplace, and she gets caught up in the yard rather than getting ready. That occurred this week as I was focusing on getting the house ready for guests. She had brought in cuttings from the yard and put them in a small vase around the sink in the laundry room. While it was a nice touch, she didn’t notice that there was dirt all around the sink. If I hadn’t specifically suggested cleaning the area, she would probably not have noticed.

Recently Kate has become more sensitive about being corrected. I am having to learn not to say anything that might make her feel bad. One of my bad habits is asking, “Do you remember . . .” Because there is less and less she does remember, this is not a good thing to say.