howiscarol (and BILL) doing

Carol is still very contented at the CCC at her Alzheimer's Special Care Unit.  Physically things are good. She fractured her shoulder a moth ago but healing is going well.  Memory is still going down but she does seem to enjoy her family and friends.

As far as me.  It could be better and in fact, I am taking steps to improve my spirits.  I was spending 4-12 hrs a day with Carol and I'm afraid it was too much for me.  I would come home and eat and sleep.  I had lost my :get up and go!"  I had a long To Do list and not getting much done but the real necessities.   So I have reduced my time with Carol to once a day for 2-4 hours, but they are the quality time for us around the evening meal.  Weather is nice so we go outside often.  She still seems to recognize some of her friends in the Moore Unit where she used to be.

My health is so-so with continued generative arthritis  in back and knee still  bother me a lot.  Plan to have another pain shot next week to assist my Spinag cord Stimulator.  Both shoulders continue a worsening of my rotator cuff limitations.  Heart is doing good along with Reflux.  Had another cornea transplant and it has healed well and a new prescription for glasses should finnish the treatment.

I am steadily getting my To Do list whittled away but am still pretty lazy.  Glad Fall is here and hope to more outside now.  Am trying to clean up papers and other junk that need filing or discarding.  I can see a little of my desk today.   But my bed is covered with stacks of paper that will be in boxes before I can go to bed tonight.

I am totally convinced that God has given us a new way to be the Witness He commanded us all to be.  I will tell you more later about an opportunity I have to use this Blog and an interview to help the Christian Care Center at their annual Banquet.  Getting back to Church Sunday School, some prayer groups  and more time with Kids and GK's.  Stay tuned for more exciting news from Carol's Blog

Love Bill

THERE'S A SWEET SWEET SPIRIT

One song keeps coming up in my memory.  This sweet hymn describes the staff and residents at the Christian Health Center so perfectly.  The more you get to know both,  it becomes clear that the Lord is present.:

There's a sweet sweet spirit in this place
And I know that it's the spirit of the Lord
There are sweet expressions on each face
And I know they feel the presence of the Lord

Sweet Holy Spirit
Sweet heavenly dove
Stay right here with us
Filling us with your love
And for these blessings
We lift our hearts in praise (hearts in praise)
Without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived
When we shall leave this place


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Love,   bill and carol

ALZHEIMER'S IS A ___________ DISEASE!!!!

Several weeks ago, I posted the above Title on the messge board for  thealzheimerspouce.com  and from many other caregivers,  we came up with the following list of names that we often used to describe the nature of  Alzheimer's:

Abomination, Abstinence maker, agony, apocalyptic, bankrupting, Consuming, cruel, degrading, demoralizing, denied, desolation, vile,DESPAIR, despicable, destructive, devastating, dreaded, Dream destroyer, earth-shattering , Empty, engulfing, Evil, Eviscerating, frustrating, gut-wrenching, hard, hateful, Heartbreaking, heart-wrenching, HELL, hit by a Mac truck, Horrible, hurt, Hurtful, ignored, Insidious, isolating, life-destroying , life-sucking, living death, Living hell, lonely , lunacy, meaningless, misunderstood, nerve-wracking, nightmare, overwhelming, painful, Paralyzing, Ruinous, Ruthless, S***ty, Sad, shattering, Solitary, sorrowful, “sucks”, terrifying , torment,Tragic, Unbearable, unfair, Unloved, unappreciated, useless, unbelievable, unfair, unrelenting, vile, worrisome,

Carman said that this list was troubling but it is just the truth, nothing but the truth about Alzheimer's.  It helps us to realize that there are many of us taking care of our dear spouces.   But,  believe me,  they are worth all the effort we have.   

Feel free to send this note to others or even leave a comment below about your thoughts.

Love    bill