It's Hope again!
I've been doing some research of my own on AD and found an older article in the Awake! magazine that is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.I've got the URL and if you would like to read it just visit http://www.watchtower.org/e/19980922/article_01.htm. Don't worry , the Society won't try to reach you by your having visited their site. Nor will they contact me to let me know you visited. You should be able to print the article for yourselves if you decide that there is some good counsel in it. It has been helpful to me of course or I wouldn't have mentioned it.
I hope everyone is doing well. I miss reading what's going on up there with you all and Mom. I haven't been able to reach her by telephone or I wouldn't be so worried about her. I'll give one of you a call if I can't reach her again today. So I'll leave you now with only the encouragement to visit that URL. It could be helpful.
Love to you all,
Hope (and Sam)

Hello everyone, this is Hope. I want to hear more about this immovable object and its equal force.
Sam and I are planning to come to see Mom and everybody that we can. We will leave here Saturday the 5th of December and stay until Sunday evening. I can stay longer if someone can bring me home ,say, Tuesday or Wednesday. Any volunteers?
Rob? We would like to review the information you have on this disease. We could pick it up when we come to visit but it would be better if we could see it before we come. We'll pay for all postage and insurance. You'll be sure to get it back in mint condition.
Amy? Give me a call so I can make sure you're OK. Or I'll give you a call. OK?
Love to all,
(Sam) and Hope

Irresistible force met the unmovable object today. This is an onerous stage of the disease, and we've just barely begun what is going to be a long, hard ride. Ease up. Give it time. Everything will happen soon enough, believe me. Welcome to Alzheimer's Disease.

Hey guys,

I hope that everyone is well. Hope is really under the weather and would have not been able to have come for the Dr's visit tomorrow anyway. Even so I can appreciate how disappointing that is was that the appointment was canceled. Amy called to inform us and Hope wanted me to call Chuck so he would not come down to get her. Wow - dealing with an aging parent who is ill (been there -done that) is nothing short of challenging all by itself. I hope that the dialogue can remain open with all the siblings, so Mom's needs and care doesn't become a side issue.

While looking up some info online about Alzheimer's I ran across this site:
http://www.healthcentral.com/alzheimers/c/42/93035/provide-support
I have talked with Amy, and Becky and have heard the well founded fears regarding another dog for Mom, and I certainly do not discount what has already transpired. Even so, I wonder how folks who have support dogs for their illness accommodate what is the obvious needs of the support dog. I'll do more research and share what I find out. In the meantime, I hope such articles as mentioned above can provide some valuable insight.

Rob - a personal note of thanks from Hope and me for your tireless efforts to look after and encourage Mom. And thanks to everyone for keeping us in the loop and for not giving up. Please know that hearts are with you all.

With much affection,
Sam (and Hope)

My visit with Mom

When I went out to visit Mom this past Sunday, I made the mistake of taking a Sunday paper for us to look at.
ALL MOM WANTED WAS THE CLASSIFIED SECTION. YEP !!! YOU GUESSED IT. SHE WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER AIREDALE. Thankfully there weren't any for sale : - )
Probably good to not take a Sunday paper out there in the future. It might trigger the thought of another dog.
Becky

Incident. Was I right or not? Gary's son, the car thief and a friend his age unknown to me came "to visit Mrs. Cowan." It soon became clear that was not why they were there. They were just hanging out, talking on their cell phones. Not a word to Helen. I had a bad gut feeling about them being there, took them both on the front porch, told them of Helen's condition, that I was her care taker and that we were limiting the visitors to close, known friends. (Remember, Helen will let anyone in the door whether she knows them or not, and has, a "drug prostitute," as Gary called her. He just happened over and ran her out on the highly probable cause that she was "casing the joint." I pretty much did the same thing today. Cactus is on my list of "unwelcomes" as well as on Scott's list too. If I stepped on anyones' emotional toes, I'm sure I'll hear about it, but as long as I'm there, Helen is not holding an "open house." She's too vulnerable, too friendly, and her judgement is questionable. All feedback appreciated. R

Very peaceful day. Quiet, save for Cactus, who cannot help but be loud. Morning spent dispensing med, organizing VHS colllection. Amy came over with pooches. We all ate Dorothy's Chicken Enchiladas and Spanish Rice. The rest of the time spent all calmly reading. Amy took Helen to meet Becky at Wal Mart for sweatshirts for what may be a cold Texas. Helen repeated to Cactus, but not to me. Got her CD player up and running. Washed dishes. Pretty uneventful day, actually. The best kind. R.