Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is tired with nothing to share, the balls have all fallen, right out of the air.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Yup, Sheri has bronchitis, Bob and "Al" have a partially torn rotator cuff, they are going no where fast this week.  :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is closely approaching total overwhelm. She has been sick for several days. Some kind of bronchial something, Bob and "Al" have clearly done something to their right shoulder, it is minus 35 with the wind chill in the frozen tundra today and daughter number two ( the one who shields her heart with her sleeve) is getting  married two weeks from today. Sheri will take Bob and"Al" to urgent care today at the recommendation of his doctor, but anyone living in the Alzheimer world knows how bad this can be. Sheri could use all the Prayer Warriors out there she can get.
Calgon take me away.

Living with Bob and "Al'"

If ever there were a season
that holds the emotions too near
it is the season of holly jolly
the season of Christmas cheer

Yet I am one among many
for whom the season is confettied with tears
the pain and the strife of everyday life
has left many deep wounds through the year...

Yet we all have so much in common
we share pain, we share hope, and despair
We are in fact, "goin' through the motions"
It is just hidden in "Happy New Year"....

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob is so funny. He has done something to his shoulder again. He is experiencing a lot of pain ( that of course is not the funny part) "Al" is trying to figure out why it hurts. He looks at the other shoulder and sees the scar from one of his previous shoulder surgery's, turns to Sheri and says " See... this one has stitching in it already... the one that hurts doesn't."  :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob and "Al" are sharing space
"Al's" confusion is showing on Bob's face.

Bob wants to work, ("Al" thinks he does)
"Al's" been to places, Bob never was.

Bob searches for memories, of his life in the past
The memories are there, but just out of "Al's"grasp.

Bob strong and able, gentle and kind
"Al" moving slowly through the rest of Bob's mind.

2 Corinthians verse 4
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sometimes, (okay, a lot of the time) Sheri would rather sit around and feel sorry for herself. She has  to make every decision on her own, about every single thing in life. Do you understand what that means? This is not what she signed up for.( Of course she knows it is, but who thinks about the possibility of Alzheimer's and what it means when you marry?)  "Marriage is a partnership" so she hears every single day on a radio station she listens to. But instead of feeling sorry for herself she is going to force herself to remember that the only partnership she needs, is the one she has formed with God. He has promised "He would not leave her or forsake her", and she will write this on her lonely heart because
 "GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES". Sheri just needs to pause, praise and pray.

Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. Deut. 31:6

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri and her family had a great Thanksgiving/ Hanukkah. She had to move the furniture around in this tiny house she rented to get a place big enough in the living room for the table to fit which is always fun:) She made some turkey (although not the traditional kind) stuffing, potato latkas, green been casserole, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, she made Challah, they lit the Hanukkah candles. It was a wonderful day. Sheri took time to reflect on all the things to be thankful for. Bob and sat silently through most of it... but  he actually laughed a good hardy laugh a couple of times, it was a good day.  :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is not sure what to do to help Bob's back anymore. He has been in such pain the last couple of weeks. The doctors have said there is really not much they can do any more. They can give him those shots in the spine again, but every trip to a hospital is a set back for "Al" that Bob may not find his way back from. Pain medicine greatly enhances his cognitive impairment. It is a huge gamble for an Alzheimer patient "quality of life verses quantity of life."
Sheri hates this disease.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob was able to fix anything and everything, "Al" however can not flip the on switch to the heated throw cover.