Good Morning,
It is a beautiful day here in sunny Phoenix, Az. I ran my 2 miles, and got some house work done and it is still early. Times have changed since my father in law died. It was sometimes hard to go running, or taking care of my self. My whole purpose was to try and give dad as normal life as possible. Of course there are always reasons that we don't take care of our selves. My husband is not working and so I am pulling extra shifts on the ambulance. That means less time to sleep, and exercise.

I want to tell you that it is important to take care of your self, because if you don't how do you think you can keep up with your other responsibilities. It is important to exercise every day for your body, and important to get your sleep for your mind. It is important to pray for your soul.

Care givers do so much taking care of so many other people that they forget about them selves. Remember that their is respite care to help you out. And there is support groups to help you vent or gain insights. There are so many wonderful sites on the computer to help you with more knowledge on Alzheimer's .

I met the author Stephanie Meyers yesterday, and she is so sweet. She is beautiful, and so friendly. In case you don't know Stephanie is the author of the Twilight Series. Thank you Stephanie for being so kind.

Well take care all,
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A Rock & Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com

Good Evening,
I had the pleasure of taking care of my father in law, when he couldn't take care of him self. This great man did so much for me and my husband when I married into the family. I never knew that a time would come for me to try and give back what was given to me.

In life we have hills and valleys. We have to endure the good times and the bad. I don't think we would really appreciate the good without the bad. My good times with dad, mostly when we were young, and dad showed us about life. I am not saying that taking care of dad after he got his Alzheimer's, but it sure was bumpy.

I have learned so much about myself during that time. I also think I talked to God more at that time in my life. I had to remember that I was human, and make mistakes. But also being human, I learned to forgive and to be forgiven.

If you want to know what to expect from a loved one with Alzheimer's please read my book. I tell what it is like, the good and the bad. Please find yourself a support group. That is so important for your self worth. You need to see that you are not alone, and others have made the same mistakes you made or had the same blessings that you had. You can learn from someone else and even teach someone else from your own experience.

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

Good Evening,
I just have to share this wonderful experience I just had on my ambulance. I picked up a couple in their 80's. The wife just had both her legs amputated due to poor circulation. I was taking them to a rehab to help her with her new life now. They have been married for 60 yrs and so happy. I love how she looks at her husband with so much joy in her eyes. And even though she has just had this bad thing happen to her, she seems OK with it, and looks to her husband for support.

Well I hope that my book is helping you, and don't forget to get respite care, and join a support groups. Don't forget to pray.

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

Good Sunday afternoon,
I want to share with you an experience I had on Friday. I had a patient to take care of and as I looked at him, and watched his body movements and his facial expressions I was seeing my father in law all over again. We were bringing him to an nursing home in California from Phoenix. He was scared, and very confused. Of course we had to strap him on our gurney and thank heavens we have a top harness strap, because he managed to wiggle his legs free. He was able to tell me his name but told me he was 7 yrs old. When I asked him if he knew where he was, he told me NO and told me not to tell him so he wouldn't be scared. He held on to my hands for the whole trip. At one point he did get a little aggressive, and put on that scary ugly face with hatred, and grabbed my hands trying to hurt them, and trying to get loose. But that is part of Alzheimer's and I just watched him and continued holding his hands till he settled down. I hope that I comforted him through the trip. He at one time had a Foley in, but I was told he pulled it out him self. I know that it had to hurt, but he had no idea what he was doing. He also had a feeding tube in. I wonder how many times he tried to pull that out. I was so happy that I got to be the one to take care of him. I watched his face as he moved his head back and forth, looking around in wonderment. I would whisper in his ear if he was alright, and he would smile back at me. Just remember that to the world you are just one person, but to one person you may be the world.
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press an Imprint of James A Rock & Co., Pub.
www.mariefostino.com

Good Afternoon this beautiful Monday. The sky is blue with fluffy white clouds that are slowly moving and sometimes hiding the sun. The wind feels so cool, but not cold, on your skin. I had a cute couple today on my ambulance. They are in their late 80's. They have been married for 60 yrs. I like that. I called them dinasores because it is far and few between that people stay married that long. The husband had a stroke about 30 yrs ago, but managed to get around with a walker. But he fell and is in a nursing home for P T so that he can go back home again. It was so cute to watch his wife flutter around him making sure he was warm enough and comfortable. And when I took him out of the ambulance, and he didn't see his wife right away, he was concerned and asked me where his lovely wife was. That made my heart jump to hear those dear words from him.

If your loved one has Alzheimer's try to remember what it was that made you fall in love with him/her. And remember that they can't help how they are now. Alzheimer's has gotton to their brain, and they are not themselves. Don't forget the support groups to help you get through this tough time.

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

What a beautiful day here in Phoenix, Az. But my day is starting out sad, as I had my first patient whom I was told is combative and confused. As I started to take care of him and talk to him a little I can already tell that he has Alzeimer's but the faculity does not know this because his wife has not had him diagnosied with it. He is at the stage where he is aggressive and combative. It is hard for the nursing home to understand that he does not know what he is doing. It breaks my heart to see this. It is a real hard stage in Alzheimer's.
Please remember that whether you keep your loved one at home or put in a nursing home that it is real tough either way. It is important that you go to Alzheimer Support Groups. Listen to other people and see that you are not alone. You can learn from them and they can learn from you. Check out the Alzheimer Web Sites on line. They are full of useful information. Check out Alzheimer Association, to see where they have support groups in your area.
Remember that to the world you are but only one person, but to that one person you are the world.
Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press An Imprint of James A. Rock & Co., Pub.
www.mariefostino.com

It is a stormy Thursday night here in Decatur, Ill. I am here with my son this week while he is going through another long week of chemo. Imagine lying in bed for 7 hrs with a tube attached to a port in your chest putting in a drug to try and reduce, and kill the cancer. This medicine makes the person weak, and nausea , and sometimes they want to throw up. They have no energy, and are tired, with loss of appetite. I guess you can say this is also the signs of life. We have to take the good with the bad.

My book on Alzheimer's is about what it is like taking care of someone at home with this terrible disease. It is to make you realize that you can not do it alone. That if you take on this job, than to remember that you have to take care of yourself. Respite care is important, so that you can have some time to yourself since it is a 24hr - 7 day a week job. Support groups are very important. You need to be able to vent to people who understand what you are going through, and maybe, just maybe someone may have a good suggestion. Hospice is also very important when you are going into the last stage of Alzheimer's. They can give you advice, support, and compassion.

I hope that you are also going on line to Alzheimer Web Sites. They are so helpful with such useful information. I love to read the saying on Alzheimer's Weekly Site. This week it says ...
AGE DOES NOT PROTECT YOU FROM LOVE. BUT LOVE TO SOME EXTENT PROTECTS YOU FROM AGE.

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