my story revisited #151-i will probably need one

MY STORY REVISITED #151-I WILL PROBABLY NEED ONE

this week i have been in contact with two folks who are now caregivers
they are both men
usually its women who are the caregivers for their husbands

one recently placed his wife in a small more personable care center
he can visit everyday

the other is at the beginning of the journey as his wife is just getting diagnosed and is still at home

my recommendation to folks who will be caregivers or are caregivers is to take care of yourself 
you are not good to loved ones if your health physically and mentally is not good

the link below in this old blog has links for caregivers to help them get ready to be caregivers
and for those who are already caregivers

the first gentleman i mentioned reached out to the local alzheimers association and found sources to help him 
he also found this small facility where his wife is located through that source

my wife she reads all this information so she can be ready as she can be when her time comes to be a caregiver
ok so she already says shes my caregiver

i have also told her to place me somewhere early on before i get worse
no
not now
i am still doing the shopping and finances and finacial planning and taxes and half the cooking and house work
i got to get her trained to do all that first

this week i attended the local alzheimers walk kickoff meeting
i was asked to talk for a few minutes unexpectedly
ive done it enough that i am always prepared to talk
im looking forward to doing our walk this year
our first live one in 3 years

feel free to donate to or join our team at the link below


yesterday i went to ucla to have my umpteenth mri of the brain
i should get a report in a couple of weeks
the mri is looking for microbleeds in the brain from my being on aduhelm or aducanumab
so far
no microbleeds
no brain shrinkage
no increase in numbers of white matter hyperintensities
no notable shrinkage of the hypothalamus
no other abnormalities are noted

when my brother and my mother had their scans when they were diagnosed they had obvious brain shrinkage

hopefully im a few years away from that
__________
08-29-2014

CAREGIVING 101
you just got the word or maybe it has already happened
this new role called
caregiving
sorry to tell you but it is probably going to suck big time
its not going to get better
it only gets worse
thats the reality of being a caregiver

so how do you make the best of it
its called preparation

the number one source of information about alzheimers disease and about
caregiving is
www.alz.org 
which is the alzheimers associations website

now go there
click on the alzheimers and dementia label
go read about dementia and pick out your loved ones diagnosis
eg
alzheimers disease and read about it

now
there is a section called
the caregiver stress check
http://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-stress-check.asp

click on it and answer the questions and follow through as it gives you
advice
just do it please

then
there is a section called
the alzheimers navigator
click here to get an action plan to meet your specific needs
then click get started to answer questions
it only takes a few minutes

you will be glad that you did this
and
please oh please follow their suggestions

do this even especially even if the diagnosis is new and early
the earlier you start the better things are for you

then there is a section called
we can help
which by the way they can
click here to access that area

dont please dont do this by yourself
your family and friends and neighbors want to help and support you
it will take a village to do this


now
take this purple challenge
no it doesnt involve an ice bucket or anything like that

go to
www.alz.org/walk
type in your zip code and select the nearest walk to end alzheimers
donate or join a team or form you own
the cost to walk is zero nada $0
get involved
take the purple challenge

accept the challenge
these people did
__________
so
if you are a caregiver seek out help
if you are a patient consider joining a clinical trial
if you are wanting to be involved
join a local walk
or 
donate and or join my team

you can join and or donate to our organicgreendoctor walk team for the santa barbara walk to end alzheimers on saturday november 5th

this is our 12th year to do the alzheimers walks

help us find a treatment or cure for this terrible disease

the organicgreen doctor