Alzheimer's Blogging: Alzheimer's Blog: Alzheimersblogging: Marie Fostino Blogspot:

Memories are all I have left of my father in law. I remember when I use to make him bath he would fight me and his words to me were "If I can fight in two wars, who are you to make me take a bath. Why didn't you make me take a bath in WW11." I use to let dad bath himself, but one day he locked the door of the bathroom, and could not get out. So I had to keep tape on the door so it would not lock. I would peek inside to see he wasn't bathing, and I had to get creative on how to get him to bath. I did have a bath chair in the tub for him. I already had the water in the tub. Yet he would not get in. I finally had to make him pass his clothes out to me, and keep a clean towel in there for him. After he bathed and dried up, I put his clean underwear in the bathroom for him. Later as the disease progressed, I was in the bathroom with him.

The weather today in sunny Arizona is beautiful. I took my youngest grandchild on a walk and let him fall asleep in the stroller. But my mind went to a different time, when I was living in Chicago, and my father in law would have me put a chair on the front porch. He would sit there and stare across the street. Then he would get up and walk to the end of the driveway and check the mailbox. Next it was time to walk back up to the porch and sit on his chair. This was something he did over and over again every day, weather permitting.

Memory loss is one of the biggest parts of Alzheimer's. Dad could not remember if he did take a bath or that he really needed one. And on those days in the front yard, he would make that trip to the mail box, I bet 50 times a day. He couldn't remember that he had already done that. Even if he did get the mail, he would start all over again.

Remember life is an adventure and we need to take it, enjoy it, learn from it, and to take care of each other. That is what life is all about.

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint Of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com
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