5/17

As Helen gets more symptomatic, certain problems arise if one doesn't know they're there.

For instance, if any of you should say "I saw three raccoons on the deck this morning" two things will happen.

1. Helen will obsess about it all day

2. She will have totally forgotten all about it tomorrow.

Lesson: Watch what you introduce into a conversation, especially anything that would agitate her.

She will still forget it tomorrow, but you won't have to sit there and think up 30 different responses to "there were three raccoons on the deck this morning" the day of the raccoon mentioning.

Helen peaceful. Read most of the day.

5/16

Helen is showing more AZD symptoms (increased memory loss, in appropriate answers in conversation, backing off from tasks that require an exact sequence of actions [stove, personal hygiene, coffee maker] most of the time but not all of the time. She went to sleep with a lit cigarette in her mouth, is leaving opened but not drunk Boost bottles around the house. I got a real cussing out when I didn't buy the "Oh, I always take that before bed" and made her take it in my sight. At least she remembers some four-letter words. Appetite good, but then, Amy was cooking.

6/14 Birthday Girl

Helen was soooo very happy to have her birthday. I was sooo not very happy at her new habit of leaving open not drunk Boosts all over the place not letting me throw them away "Oh I'll drink those later." She is going out with Becky and/or Suzanne, depending on who you ask tonight to be wined and dined. All in all, a good day.

6/11/10

Told Helen that I am going to just "live there" or behave as if I were home and not sit over her like a big bird watching her every move. My room now is the upstairs bedroom.The hummingbird feeder leaks and I will have to get another as we have a few hummers now. Of course, Inspector Clousseau (sp) had a trail of sugar water from the porch to the sink soooo Helen's floor got a semi-mop job. Will dust-bust Monday. There may (or may not) be a problem remembering the steps involved to make coffee. It was 1/2 fixed and just left it with a wrong amount in the basket. I'll keep an eye on that. She is also getting more quiet, though will speak when spoken to.

6/10/10

Started of shopping gave medicine then went back to town for birdseed as Helen enjoys her birds very much. We both read for awhile. Fixed lunch (Rigatoni and Chicken-Stoffers-she likes that-it gives her a chance to eat the garlic toast-with milk, of course) She said "Ill eat the rest for dinner."

If you want her to eat, small portions are less intimidating to her. Read on the porch together. Birds are getting used to us, and some will feed with us not 4' away. Installed out own CD as the one I got at the pawn shop did not allow menu selections. I should have taken your advice, Amy. Our VCR is there too, ready to go when needed.

Plateau?

It's hard for me to read Helen of late. She is staying to herself more, reading. She forgot she had lunch today when Scott came over with chicken from Bojangle's. I suppose it's kind of a waiting game right now to see what happens next, if anything. R.

Helen's Brain

There are more nerve connections in the brain as there are stars in the sky. Think about that. Trillions or more. When a nerve cell or group of nerve cells loses its blood supply to a mini-stroke it not only affects those cells, but the cells connected to those cells and the cells connected to those

cells.

Fortunately, other brain cells "know" this and are able to modify themselves to do the job the now dead cells were doing. In Helen, at present, this takes 2-3 days, on average. And so 2-3 days after Friday's mini-stroke she was back to her old self again. Will she suffer a massive stroke? Who knows? Nobody knows except God, and He's not tellin.' But for now it's good to have Helen "back." R.