Gig Harbor Facility

Got a call from Snickers the other day. She and Popcorn had visited a sister facility to the Point Orchard Memory Care Center (Mom likes it) and they thought Ladybug and I might like to visit this one in Gig Harbor too as a possibility for Mom. Mom is third on the waiting list for Orchard Point and there is an opening NOW at this one in Gig Harbor (just across the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma). We visited it and liked it. We put a refundable deposit down to hold it for Mom if she likes it. Monday, we ALL plan to go over again and look at it again with Mom. The name of the place is Olympic Alzheimer's Residence. Pray for us about this decision. You can look at their website HERE.

Lucky me

Watching a health news story on TV yesterday I learned that children are more likely to inherit the symptoms of AD from their mother than from their father. I also take meds for high cholesterol and hypertension. So, the following article added a little icing to the cake today...
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Cholesterol and hypertension seen as harmful to memory

High cholesterol and hypertension may be linked to loss of memory and mental abilities in middle age, according to a new study. Researchers found that among the 4,800 people in their research study, cardiovascular risk in middle age was related to lower overall cognitive function; the scientists also saw a relationship between poor cardiovascular scores and overall cognitive decline over 10 years. Study participants did not have Alzheimers, but hypertension, diabetes and poor cardiovascular health may be risk factors for the disease.
Read the article >>
Learn more about risk factors >>
Be heart smart >>

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Stop by our brain gym Exercise your brain and test your skills.Solve today's puzzle >>

Every 70 seconds

Researchers continue searching for ways to prevent Alzheimer’s

More than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, with a new case diagnosed every 70 seconds. The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s is increasing age, and the first of the baby boomers are turning 65 this year. With the escalating Alzheimer’s epidemic here, researchers are trying a pre-emptive strike against the disease.
Watch the CBS News story >>
Learn about Alzheimer’s Association TrialMatch™ >>

Healing up.

Thanks for your faithful updates on Mom, Snickers. Ladybug and I plan on coming over next Thursday for an overnight visit. Warning...Warning..Warning... :) Elvis.
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Hello family,

Thank you for your prayers. Mom went through her surgery very well on Thurs. the 24th of Feb. Then come Sat. the 26th. it hit her, she was down, hadn't slept all night and of course Sat. was exhausted. She slept most all of the day and for the first time because of her headache I gave her one of her pain pills. Then come night time...bed time, she took only one more pain pill and slept all night long with a few restroom visits. All in all she has come through this with flying colors. Her appointment to be fitted for her new plates will come the week or week after the 17th of March. Three weeks are needed to heal up real well before she gets her fitting.

Again thank you so much for your prayers. She is doing great!

In His Grace,
Snickers

Oral Surgery

Hello Family,

Just wanted to say hello to all and let you know my mom is doing pretty good. Most of her days are rather calm and enjoyable. There are those days when Alzheimer's show it's face with confusion. We just seem to work it all out one step at a time. I have found when mom has any type of an appointment that would make her have to get organized and out of the house at a certain time, it's best if I just keep our morning as calm as possible and then a few hours a head of time mention her up coming appointment. Sometimes she gets stirred up and then thank God for Lorazepam that will calm her stomach. We just had a visit with her dentist that will have to remove two lower teeth. Things went pretty good and she will be having oral surgery Thurs the 24th of this month. I'd sure appreciate your prayers for her on that day. Mom is not a morning person, but agreed to a 10:30 appointment, that she didn't want to wait and to get it over with. Again please join us in prayer for her during this oral surgery.

Mom does have calendar in her room that she will and we put appointment on and she will come out and remind me of her appointments. Calm is the word, by just reassuring mom all is well and she is fine, it seems to keep life pleasant.

Just wanted to keep our family up on mom and how she's doing. Thank you for your prayers.

The Lord Bless and Keep you all,
Snickers

Dental update

Hi all,

We made it through the dentist appointment with help of her Lorazepam. Things went very well as mom knows she needs to get her teeth all fixed, so that she can chew her food better. I'm thinking it will help her stomachaches she seems to have often. I hope so anyway. The next step is to visit the oral surgeon on the 17th of this month. Only a visit and then set the surgery day. None of us are looking forward to her having to go through that as she will need to let her mouth heal for 3 wks before they fit her mouth for a full lower plate and thank God it sounds as if she will be able to have her now upper plate all redone. Mom was sure hopping for that.

I will keep you updated with the next step.

Pray for mom,
Snickers

second opinion

Ladybug went up to Everett yesterday for a "Family Meeting" at the assisted living home where her mom lives. It was a long day but the bottom line is that her mom is at the place where they need to upgrade her care to 24 hour care. She is a medicaid patient so not much will change on that. It is likely that she will need to move to another wing of the facility and may have to share a room rather than having a private studio like now. Ladybug was comfortable with the decisions that were made.

Here is the latest update on Mom over at Snicker's:

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Wanted to make sure you were aware that mom is finally on the Group Health Co-op health plan at the cost of $267. I think it was that amount. She is not to happy about that, but on her clear days she understands the reason. Her change in counties made this so that she does have to pay a premium.

Last Thursday we spent from 1:30 to 5pm just getting her meds set up, blood work and so on. Yesterday she had to go in and get a chest xray to check her CHF. Tomorrow we go to see another neurologist to assess her mind. Will keep you updated on all of this. It's been an interesting ride around here. Most of moms days are good though.

ttyl - Snickers.


1-14-11

I just wanted to make sure you all know that mom's GHC monthly payment is $167. a month, because of her first payment it was $267., and then it'll be out of her SS there after. It's kind of mixed up because we set it up to come out of her SS and at GH I was told that doesn't work very well and that I should call customer service and request to not do that...which I did...then we get the letter in the mail that it was in effect. Soooooooooooo, we'll see what happens with all of this. I do wish I'd never recalled them, but so goes the day.

So, we go see the neurologist today. Thank you "Elvis" for coming over to be with mom and me at this appointment. It's good to have more ears and eyes on this kind of appointment. Like I remind mom it's a second opinion. I'm excited for that myself. Will keep you updated.

In a Season,
Snickers

Here is the report on the visit today:

Today we, mom, "Elvis", and I met with a new neurologist with the Group Health family. This was great because it was like a second opinion. Mom did great! All of us were very happy with the doctor today. He was so much more personable than the first neurologist we met with. Although his diagnose for dementia was still the same. He answered to us using the "A-word" to represent Alzheimer's. I responded with (you mean Alzheimer's) and he looked shocked and looked at mom, then us and said yes. Then we talked about dementia and it ended with the diagnose being Alzheimer's. He also said he felt because mom was in an environment of activity with family that she seemed to be doing very well. He also suggested Silver Sneaker's for mom, so this is something we need to work on for her. So by the end of the day mom, "Elvis" and I were all glad for this new doctor's diagnose. She is doing very well and most of her days are good.

I've talked to mom about setting her up with an email address so she might be able to talk to all of you. So I think we will come up with something or it could be just go ahead and use this email for her too.

Mom says to send her love to all of you, that she wishes she could see all of you.

In His Season of Life,
Snickers