This blog is about life with my husband who was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's and Frontal Lobe Dementia in 2008. He was 64 at the time although now, knowing more about the disease, Alzheimer's was present many, many years ago, which is why early detection is so important. As you read the blog the character "Al" that I created in 2008, represents the way that Alzheimer's is invading our daily lives.
There is an archive tab further down the page that starts from the beginning of our journey.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri gave Bob one of his 36 piece puzzles the other day to work on. He has not been able to complete them any more, but will still work on it for a while. As Bob's frustration grew not being able to connect the pieces, "Al" turned to Sheri with his thumb in Bob's belt loop stretching out his back in his usual way, and said "I really just need a razor or scissors so I can get these pieces to fit." Sheri replied "Well lets see if we can move them around a bit." She worked with him on a few pieces  and went back to what she was doing. A few minutes later Bob repeated his request and asked Sheri for some scissors. Sheri made the mistake of saying that he did not need scissors. "Al" in a very angry and uncharacteristic way shoved the card table forward stood up with his jaw clenched tight to one side, raised his voice and said "then I might as well find something else to do, I need a knife to finish this it is an old puzzle it does not work anymore!" Sheri was not prepared for this outburst. Redirect she thought to herself, redirect. While she was trying to regroup Bob and "Al" took off to the bedroom. Sheri paused and thought "okay just give him a minute to cool down." Sheri waited and within a minute or two she hears the very familiar sound of Bob's whistling in the hallway. Bob returns to the living room calmly sits down at the puzzle. Sheri is thinking "Oh good he has forgotten his frustration". Well, Sheri's assurance that the situation had resolved itself ended quickly as Sheri glanced over just in time to see that "Al" ( determined fellow that he is ) was quite pleased with himself as he placed the exacto knife he lifted from the craft shelf in the hallway...  down by the puzzle. :)
No wonder he was whistling, no more puzzles for "Al".

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