ALZHEIMER'S BLOG:


So I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I had to work on Sunday, but I did get off Monday morning, took a nap, had lunch with my family, swimming in the back yard, and a little TV before I had to go to bed so I could get up again this morning for another 24 hr shift.

I don't know if anyone is really reading my blogs, or if I am just doing this for myself. I am hoping that in some small way, I am helping somebody out there. Today I thought I would write an entry out of my journal from September 25, 2003:

Today is Thursday, a normal day. Joe wakes up early in the morning with his pajamas and diapers soaking wet. I put dry pajamas on him. Sometimes he goes back to bed and sometimes he just sits in his chair, but he always falls back asleep.

Between 8 & 9 am, I make him coffee and breakfast and give him his Risperdol. I let him sit and drink coffee until about 10. Then I coax him into the bathroom, put him on the toilet, take his clothes off, and put him in the bathtub (usually under protest). I bathe him and then give him the washcloth and let him rewash himself.

When he gets out of the tub, I make him dry himself. I help him put on his underwear and then I shave his face. I give him his toothbrush and make him brush his teeth. Usually, by this point, he has an attitude. He doesn't like bathing and is often verbally abusive.

I lay his clothes on his bed and make him dress himself. Sometimes he does just fine and sometimes he doesn't know his pants from his shirt. I always make him put on his socks, which he begs me to put on for him. No matter what he says, I know that he can put them on himself.

He always wears a baseball cap. He loves to go for rides and I drive him to the Daycare Center. He still goes there four hours every day, Monday through Friday. When we bring him home, he comes in the house and sits in his chair. Then he gets up and walks outside, only to return right away to sit in his chair. He repeats this routine over and over again.

His famous saying is , "What do you have for me?" That usually means he wants a pop and food. He is still very forgetful about meals and always want to eat again an hour after a meal. He just can't remember when he last ate. He can say some mean and nasty things, so I've gotten in the habit of giving him some fruit or applesauce when he asks to eat again.

He likes to drink soda pop all the time, so I try to mix water with the soda to cut down the calories. He doesn't seem to notice this. Now, I cut up his meat during his meals along with anything else that may need cutting. If I don't do this, he'll put the whole thing in his mouth.

Around 8pm I give him another dose of Risperdal. He generally goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:00 pm. First I try to coax him into the bathroom. Then I undress him and put on his pajamas (again, this is usually under protest). I make him sit on the side of the bed and slide his legs up into the bed and cover him up.

I turn off the light, give him a kiss on the cheek and close the door, all the while repeating to him that it is time for sleep. Because he no longer remembers how to turn on the lights, being in the dark helps him stay in bed and sleep. Sometimes he even sleeps right through the night.

I don't allow him to walk around during sleep time. I also don't let him take naps during the day. I've found that if he sleeps during the day then he won't sleep at night.

When he uses the toilet now, I make him sit to urinate so he won't mess up his clothes. And I never leave him by himself for more than five minutes.

Hope this entry helps you.

Here is a link if you would like to get my book http://www.amazon.com/Alzheimers-Caretakers-Journal-Marie-Fostino/dp/1596635622

Here is a link if you would like to help me with my Alzheimer's Memory Walk
http://MemoryWalk2010.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=336218&u=336218-268736349&e=3655472672

And here is a film showing Dad as his Alzheimer's progressed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-dWlsgM9LA&feature=player_embedded

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