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.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Living with Bob and 'Al"

Sheri is remembering the last time her parents visited in 2008 and how strange Bob's behavior was.
Certainly she should have seen something was wrong.The family drove to the airport to drop off her son, right after exiting the airport they hear a very loud noise coming from their van. Smoke, screeching, burning smell, something falls off into the street. Now mind you her 70 year old parents are in the van as well as her 2 daughters.Sheri tells Bob to pull off the road.They get out to look, Sheri doesn't know what the part is, but she knows enough to know that based on the size of the part... they probably should not continue to drive the van the rest of the 30 some odd miles back home that way.Well, Bob and "Al" had a different take on the situation."They" decided that if they went really slow and took all the back roads they could get the van home (After all,  it was just a little smoke he said.)And against Sheri's advice "they" proceed to do just that. A few second's in and another part falls off of the underside of the van. Sheri has to beg Bob to get the car off of the road to a gas station "Al" kept insisting they would be fine and that the radiator just needed water. It took Sheri in tears and her Dad's persistence to get the him to pull off the road.About a month later the diagnosis came, with that, the neuro psych tests showed that Bob was losing new information in about 30 seconds...judgment highly impaired. Sheri should have known.That was the end of the van, and the end of Bob's driving.
Proverbs 4:6-7
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

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