Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is so confused by this disease. She just does not understand how one moment Bob can  be writhing in pain, and the next moment "Al" is bent over moving his beads around and feels nothing. She knows Bob always had s high pain tolerance but this is well... crazy. :(

Sheri needs to take a deep breath and pause, praise and pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob ( the hardware guy that he was) would have never been caught stringing pony beads on a dowel. "Al" however is attempting to sort the beads and thinks the rainbow colors are "very pretty"  :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

It was another long weekend in the frozen tundra. Minus zero temps meant outside options were really, well... not an option. At the suggestion of Daughter Number 1 (the one who wears her heart on her sleeve), Sheri tried coloring with Bob and "Al". She tried this about 2 years ago and Bob was very upset and said "And why exactly, am I doing this?" Well lots of things have changed in the past couple of years, and Bob did not question this new task. Two things happened. "Al"decided he would  rather color the on the cover of coloring book, while Bob (the Mr. Fixit that he was)  was preoccupied trying to figure out why the color pencil would not work on the waxy cover of the coloring book. :)
Simple pleasures, Sheri, simple pleasures.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is running out of ideas for Bob and "Al" on this long holiday weekend. Sheri is happy the player piano plays by itself, she just wishes the rolls would change by themselves too, because choir is the ONLY  thing "Al" is interested in. :)  

Living with Bob and "Al"

Family traditions are important, especially for an Alzheimer victim. Bob has no memory of the family Christmas celebration, singing around the player piano listening to piano rolls, but he was there in the moment and that is what counts. simple pleasures Sheri simple pleasures.

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" with his shoes with pajamas, flannel shirt tied up high, watch on top of his sleeve, shirt buttoned to the throat... but Bob is in there somewhere, and luckily he was never fond of mirrors anyway. :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob is thinking he should rake the leaves outside. Sheri is thinking she needs that new alarm for the door to come sooner than later, because Bob has not raked leaves in years and "Al" is actually moving faster than Sheri these days . :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri's foot surgery went well, and pain meds are working. Sheri is thankful for family and friends, cyber friends included for all their concern and support. As Sheri has mentioned before, the slightest
change in routine is overwhelming for "Al" and the confusion is, and probably will continue, to increase. But it is okay Sheri with the help of family and friends will just have to make as Bob would say a new "plan" :)
 God is good.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob is a man that couldn't have cared less about his clothes, vanity was not his thing. "Al" however is obsessed with his pant legs which he feels are too short, and making sure the plaid on his flannel shirt always remains straight, even if that means he doesn't bend his arms :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob was extremely disappointed with his "crew" at work yesterday (code for Adult Day Center). When they got out of the car at home, "Al" stood there with his thumb in Bob's belt loop stretching out his back in his usual way pointing to all the road construction and said " I really could not get much cooperation today finishing up this road work." Sheri chuckled to herself as she pictured the sweet little lady with the freshly done hairdo sitting by the door with her walker at the Day Center waiting for her ride, and thought to herself, that's because it was "hair" day Bob, don't ever ask a lady to do road work on "hair" day :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri can feel the frozen tundra approaching, soon these same trees will be bare and covered with ice and snow. She can sense the isolation that comes with the early darkness of a Minnesota winter. However, in the live in the moment mentality Sheri is trying to have along with "Al" she with take a deep breathe and enjoy the crisp fall air and the beauty God provides in his fall art work and leave tomorrows worries, for tomorrow :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

A few weeks ago Sheri was looking at the cat food bag, and  (finding her own humor these days) asked herself  "I wonder who they asked to know it "tastes better than ever"??

 Anybody want to take a guess who accidentally popped a piece of kibble in his mouth last night? No comment on the improved taste though :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri had Bob's care conference with the Day Center this week. They see what Sheri sees."Al" is in a pretty big cognitive slide, and as with all slides they only go one direction. :(
Sheri needs to adjust the plan, and pause ,praise, and pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" is sure someone at "work " (code for Adult Day Center) stole his magnet projectile thingy. Sheri is amazed Bob can still remember that he had a projectile magnet thingy. It must have made a really big impression on him since he can not remember things like where the bathroom is, what he ate, or what relationship Sheri is to him. Maybe she should photoshop her wedding photo replacing her bouquet with the projectile magnet thingy... no on second thought "Al" will probably just think Sheri stole it.   :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

At the hospital procedure, although Sheri had tried to explain Bob's limitations, the nurse asked Bob to verify his name and birthdate. "Al" was confused and started searching the room shifting his eyes from side to side. His eyes finally landed on Sheri sitting across the room holding Bob's cane. Bob finally spoke and pointed at his cane in Sheri hand said " it is over there" the nurse looked around in confusion. Then "Al" pointing at his cane said "right there, RZ" pointing at the initials that Sheri had burned in to his wooden saw cane. The nurse finally understood and then turned to Sheri and said " Can you confirm his birthdate for me?" 
She tried to tell her :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob and "Al" were up so early yesterday that she grabbed her camera, put them in the car and and drove for hours. She has not had any camera time in weeks. Seeing God in nature calms her soul.