Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is so proud of daughter number1 and daughter number 2. They have grown into such compassionate caring young adults. They truly understand the devastation this disease brings. Each week they visit their Dad and they sing to him, very German Bob loved this song. The others in the facility enjoy their music as well. Sheri loves her children with all her heart. God is good.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is going to try harder to focus on the needs of others around her. She can not change the direction of the illness that has replaced Bob with "Al", but she can change the direction of her hearts energy toward others in need of love and prayer without feeling like she has abandon Bob. Life is so precious and short. Sheri needs to pause, praise and pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Well, Bob has been exploring new activities at his new home. Unfortunately, "Al" agreed that Bob should go to yoga when the Life Enrichment Aid offered to take him. To bad Bob's back did not think that was such a great idea... after the fact. Sheri has a few more phone calls make. :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri can't help wondering if Bob's new roommate enjoys "Al"s whistling... in his sleep :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri had the opportunity to go to church by herself this Sunday. This is an awkward thing for her after 20 plus years of taking Bob with her, but she did it anyway. She was so very glad she did as the sermon spoke directly to her heart. "New Year, Fresh Start " was the title of the sermon. Reminding her that God promises He is doing a new thing! A friend mentioned to her recently that she should be thankful we have places to care for Bob and "Al" so she won't be so worn out that she can't fulfill all the giving she is meant to do in the big picture of her life. Sheri really never thought of it that way. So in case some of you need a reminder of what God can do a link to sermon provided :)  Click here > New Year, Fresh Start

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" is very tactile. Sheri has been trying hard to find things "Al" can not break. She really thought she had it this time.  It only took a short time for "Al" to twist and chew his way through her "not so brilliant idea." Foiled again. :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

In Sheri's never ending quest to keep "Al" active and engaged she made him a fidgit mat. She worked long and hard on it. She went to the thrift shop and and bought some second hand clothes, cut them apart. She cut off pockets from an old western shirt, and zippers from pants, snaps and all kinds of things, She even bought some plumbing sink stopper thingys thinking they would have a hardware type feel to them. Sheri was extremely proud of her creation. She sewed everything on good and tight, and really could not wait to give it to Bob and "Al". Unfortunately, it only took "Al" and the man with a plan, seconds to ripoff the sink stopper thingys, using all the strength Bob's rickety teeth could handle. The look of accomplishment was beaming on "Al's" face as he hobbled over to Sheri holding the stoppers hidden in Bobs tightly closed fist and with much delight on "Al"s face thrusted Bob's now open hand in Sheri's face and said  "TA DA!"

Heavy sigh...

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri is thankful for time with Daughter Number One and Daughter Number 2, with their husbands God is Good.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri had many moments of anxiety during the afternoon of the wedding. "Al" had decided he no longer wanted to be "at this establishment" because "no one knew what they were doing" Sheri has come to realize that is code for " I am overwhelmed by all the commotion and need to be in a quite place." Bob would have been proud of Sheri because she had a plan for that :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri has an interesting job. She manages a 200 unit apartment community. Because this is peoples homes, life happens here. People get married, babies are born and occasionally a death happens. Yesterday was Sheri's first day of vacation for the wedding. Unfortunately life happens whether we are vacation or not. There was a death on the property yesterday and dealing with a bio-hazard team  delayed her joyous start to her vacation. Dealing with death on such a personal level, does put life in perspective though, so the fact that 6'4 "Al" decided to slide from Bob's chair to sit on the floor to build Bob's blocks last evening is okay with her.

Pause, Praise, Pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Pictures can be so deceiving, but one thing is true "Al" smiles (ok a half smile) much more often then Bob ever did, so Sheri will take this one at face value. 

One moment at time pause , praise, pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri was sitting in the living room with the "boys" listening to hymns radio on pandora this morning. Bob and "Al" already working on their nuts and bolts, when "It is well with my soul" came on. Hearing Bob sing out loud to the song brought tears to her eyes. Joyful by living in the moment is all we are promised. "Al" smiled as he sang and turned to Sheri and sang with her  "it is well, it well with my soul". It was like a subtle yet clear message from God that Bob is happy inside himself. Sheri is grateful for another day.

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" has decided that anything grey, is Bob's sweater that he is obsessed with. Which includes some grey girls exercise pants , some unmentionables Sheri won't mention, and a grey pillowcase on the bed. Sheri admires "Al's" flexible thinking, but Bob was not near as flexible in trying to put some of these items on:)

heavy sigh.

Living with Bob and "Al"

"Al" is obsessed with this sweater. Yesterday morning she could not even get Bob out of his pajama shirt, because "Al" already had his sweater on. Well... and the fact that "Al" buttoned the sweater TO Bob's pajama shirt, what ever works ;)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Daughter number 2 ( the one who shields her heart with he sleeve) is home from California (Sheri is so very excited:). They decided to go to thrift store yesterday. The Halloween items are abundant right now. Daughter number 2 has already developed Sheri's sense of humor with her Dad , because she had a good giggle when she had to convince her Dad that he could not have the Ninja Sword  "Al" found... even though as Bob said "it came with the sheath and it was too good to pass up at that great price."  :)
                                                 .

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri posts daily because this disease effects every moment of every day. She tries to give you a glimpse of what every day life is like with someone with this disease.  She writes this in third person, so she she can step out of her skin and a step away form the reality that is her journey. She uses humor to keep her head above water, but there is NOTHING funny about the disease itself. She struggles often with how much is to much to share, but she also knows that if she does not speak what life is really like no one will ever know the enormity of the impact this disease has on daily life . So without being too graphic, she will just say that "Al" decided the bedroom floor was the right place to relieve himself in the middle of the night, last night. Sheri is so glad that Bob has no memory of this as this kind, gentle man would be devastated, as Sheri is. She is losing her race against time.
Sheri needs to Pause Praise and Pray.

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob the polite man that he is, was looking for a hankie to blow his nose which Sheri located for him. (The blow turned out to be, well she shall say, one of those big, manly blows lol), and while the blow was under way Sheri simultaneously started sneezing. Sheri had to chuckle to herself, because as Sheri was sneezing , dear sweet "Al" offered up the use of the hankie Bob just used, Sheri just smiled sweetly and said " oh thanks but I have my own".
Such a gentleman :)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob was trying so hard to follow the little instruction booklet ("Al" found who knows where) to help him put his two puzzle pieces together. Problem was the booklet was for some random little electronic gadget but "Al" kept trying anyway. Bob always was a stick to it kinda guy, gotta love him:)

Living with Bob and "Al"

Bob asked Sheri "where everyone was" yesterday. Out of pure curiosity, and not really expecting an answer,  Sheri replied "who is everybody"? "Al" replied all the people that sit in the room." Sheri finally realized "Al" thought he was at "work" (code for Adult Day Center) as Sheri unloaded Bob's nuts and bolt from "Al's" shorts pockets, because "Al" said " he was going to take those out.. when he got home." :(

Living with Bob and "Al"

Sheri uses humor to protect her heart. Truth be told the changes she sees... are significant. To hard to even explain. "Al" is drifting deeper into Bob's mind and "Al" is destroying any bridges back to reality.
Sheri HATES this disease. Sheri needs to pause, praise and pray.