Memory Walk

Thanks to my friends and wonderful family, I was able to reach my goal of $1000 for our Memory Walk today.  Since our Walk is held in the local High School hallways, the frigid 10F temperatures weren't an issue. 

 

Don't you love the little Memory Walk Bear each walker was presented with?  And my little hand crafted Memory Walk flags were a real hit!

Just a day in the life of.....

I've had a busy, busy morning.  I got us registered for a new family doctor, have appointments made for a new dentist and optometrist within walking distance, and moved our pharmacy records over to the pharmacy next door.
In the midst of all that brain exercise, I missed the important message that I needed to use the powder room until it was too late, so then had to have a bath to get cleaned up.  Then horror of horrors, I accidentally squirted liquid hand soap on my toothbrush instead of the liquid toothpaste. (totally yucky!)
I'm now sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, and planning our trip to Kingston for Chinese Buffet!  I deserve it, don't you think? 

Slow Start

Looks like all my moving activities finally caught up with me.  I just couldn't get my brain functioning this morning.  For some reason my "sunny" world was looking very bleak.   I finally went back to bed and started over again at 10:30am.  

Only 3 days left for any of you who wish to support me in the Memory Walk  Click Here ...and thank you so much for your support.

Last evening Jim and I attended a local auction, to see if there was anything we couldn't life without.....there wasn't! lol  This evening I'm hoping we can go to the monthly Alzheimers Support Group which is held just a block away at the John M. Parrott Centre, the new long term care facility here.  I think its very important we try and keep an active lifestyle (and I can't afford to shop every day!)

Incredible Find

We're gradually making the finishing touches to our new apartment, including getting the pictures hung.  We were checking out the second hand shop, and discovered this gorgeous needlepoint picture for $5.00.  It is perfect over my bed, and Angel seems to approve.

 

First Chinese Buffet visit of 2010

We had to drive to Belleville today to return the modem from our former ISP.  This meant of course that I was able to enjoy a lovely Chinese buffet.  I was quite surprised that just a trip through the Dollar Store, and having our lunch left me feeling totally wiped out.  However, since we weren't in any big rush, we just parked in a quiet end of the parking lot at the Mall, put our headphones on, our seats back, and slept for an hour.  Then I was back to my normal self and ready to shop some more.  I do love retirement!

 

Back in service

We feel like we're really here now that we have our phone, internet and cable installed.  We're really taking it easy today....visiting neighbours while doing laundry, and getting our new internet set up.  Oh yes....I should mention.....our speed with our new Cogeco cable internet is running 14 mbps!  We always thought we were doing pretty good when we had 2mbps with DSL!  I'm really not sure how I'm going to manage 200kpbs for the summer months at our trailer!  

WE ARE MOVED

Our move went amazingly well.  Everything is in, unpacked, and put in its place.  I took many brain breaks and overall managed just fine. 

I even joined in at the Bingo Game in our common room last evening, however I only lasted 50 minutes.  Those balls make incredible noise when they're bouncing around in their stirring bin!  I guess my Bingo playing is now limited to the Pogo room (with the volume muted).  

Now we have a whole new neighbourhood to discover, and hopefully the weather will warm up soon and I can get out walking again.

Our Move

Things are going smoothly with our move.  We had downsized so much to fit into this one bedroom apartment, that I was able to pack almost everything yesterday.  We not only got it all moved to our new apartment, but I have everything unpacked, put away, and the boxes removed!  Today, our grandson Jordan is coming to help with the heavy stuff....and we'll be done.  

Unfortunately we won't have phone or internet until Thursday, but I have a whole new neighbourhood to explore.  One place that intrigues me is the Fifty Five PLUS Activity Centre, in the neighbouring building. 

On the move again!

Since I've developed hyperacusis, or sensitivity to sounds, I have been unable to sleep in the same room as Jim.  Jim snores whenever he's not using his CPAP machine.....and his CPAP machine isn't silent either! lol  So we had our name on the list to get into a two bedroom apartment in a senior building....and we just got the call this week that one is available for us.

We drove to Napanee yesterday to see it....and we love it, and will be moving there within the next two weeks.  Our new home is located exactly half way between my two favorite places....North China Buffet in Belleville and Panda Gardens in Kingston.....just a half hour drive.  And I swear this fact didn't enter into my mind when I said YES....we'll take it! tee hee 

We had planned on doing Chinese after viewing the apartment, but after all the excitement, I really needed a Brain Break! 

Home Again

Well that was an interesting morning.  My colonoscopy was performed in Day Surgery here in the Picton Hospital.  As I was being wheeled to the OR, we traveled through the maternity ward. When I saw the BIRTHING ROOM, I was very glad I was only having a colonoscopy!

The procedure itself went off without a hitch....for some reason I remained wide awake throughout, and watched the whole thing on the viewing screen.  The Dr. discovered one large polyp, and removed it with an instrument with a noose on the end!  He also confirmed I have diverticulitis.

So I'm happily enjoying my coffee and filling the empty cavity!

From the Throne

Any of you who have had to undergo an exploration of your nether regions will certainly understand why I am spending most of my day in the Powder Room, where I have installed a small table and my mini laptop.  Tomorrow I have a colonoscopy scheduled, so today I'm limited to drinking fluids along with the prescription packets which are designed to drain you from top to bottom, with varying degrees of force and urgency.

Besides playing lots of Pogo games for my brain exercise, I spent several hours watching videos about FTD  Click Here   and was most interested in how my symptoms seemed to correspond very closely to those presented in Semantic Dementia.  So of course I had to do more research on this subject, and came across one very informative website.  I have copied the website and the information onto a new page at my simplesite.com website  HERE

Pass the Velcro Please

We have been increasingly concerned regarding Jim's problems with his short term memory.  The final straw for me was when he forget where he left me in Walmart after he went to the powder room.  Fortunately for me I was able to intercept him on his way to the car. 

Yesterday Jim went to see our family doctor, who gave him the Montreal Cognitive Test (click here).  Jim scored 25 out of 30.  From everything I've read, if someone scores under 26 they are started immediately on the drugs.  However, our doctor wants to wait six months and test him again and see if he is any worse. 

So for my own peace of mind, I plan to stick like glue to Jim in any public place.  I'm still working on the details for using the powder room!

An alarming start to my day~

For several years I have struggled to identify sounds that I'm hearing.  My anxiety level rises dramatically until we have established what it is I'm hearing.  Jim is quite used to "What's that?  What's that?"  Once my mind is satisfied what the sound is, I can relax again.


Once a month our apartment has a fire alarm testing.  We are notified when it is going to occur.  When the alarm starts, you can actually push a button to silence the alarm in your unit, and then you only hear the loud 'honking' in the hallway.  


This morning when the alarm started, my heart started pounding as my brain tried to determine what the noise was.  By the time I had realized it wasn't a new ring on the phone, and got over to the wall to turn off the inside alarm, the damage had been done!  The anxiety level had sky rocketed, and half an hour later I'm still trying to get myself calmed down.


Next month, I plan to have my headphones on well before the alarm is set to go off....and I should breeze through it just fine!


 

MEMORY WALK

According to an article posted on the Alzheimer Ontario website yesterday, (here), "The rate at which Canadians develop Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia will grow from one every five minutes to one every two minutes if nothing changes." 
Very scary numbers!  I would imagine these statistics are as staggering all over the world!  Now is the time to make your donation to the alzheimer society in your area..... or, if you wish to support my WALK, CLICK HERE

"A gloomy spirit rots the bones; but a merry heart is like good medicine."

Jim and I had a wonderful weekend with my brother and sister and their families at my brother Dave's in Ottawa.  Our son Ralph and family were able to join us as well.  

I thoroughly enjoyed a game of canasta with six of us playing.  That was the first time I've played with actual people.  My previous canasta experience was with Robots on Pogo.


Besides providing Jim and I with our own quiet apartment that I could retire to, Dave and Margaret also had a table set up in a quiet room where we enjoyed our dinner away from all the children.  

This seemed to be the ideal set up for family gatherings.  I didn't experience the usual overload  that I've had before.  And I'm looking forward to my next Canasta Game with non-robots!

Happy 2010

I've made a New Year's Resolution.  From now on I'm going to be showered and dressed daily by 10:00 a.m.  I can't for the life of me think why I would want to do this though.  I guess that niggling guilty feeling creeps in each day when I'm still sitting here in my jammies enjoying life!  

I do have this theory though.  I think my brain works better when my body is unencumbered with tight fitting clothing that is trying to keep all the body parts in their proper places.  


Oh well....nearly 10am.....and time to keep my resolution  for one day at least!