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".

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob and "Al" are showing new signs of anxiety now. A car or truck goes by the front of the house, the noise is a concern for him. If "they" can hear a fire truck or police car siren, a look of worry and confusion sweeps over "Al's" face and he will say "what is that?" with fear in his voice. Sheri has to say "it is okay it, they are going to help some one, or it is along way away."
Sheri hates this disease.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob was sitting in his favorite chair leaning to one side digging around on the cluttered end table.  Sheri said" Bob, are you looking for something in particular?" Bob replied " Well, I was looking for a project I brought home from work," (Code for Adult Day Center)  Sheri was kind of surprised by his response said  "a project you brought home?" Sheri just assumed he meant something he took out of his pocket, a  trivia paper or something. Then "Al" still digging around said " I was working on a water leak, but I don't see it here."
Ah... :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

There was a recent review of Sheri's blog that brought her great joy. For all of us that are in the middle of this awful disease, Sheri shares this recognition of our struggles with you, because we are all in this together. :)

Blog of the week

click on the words "Blog of the week" to read article, when you are in the article there is a "read more" tab in the lower left corner to read the article in its entirety.