What Now?

So what now?  We grieve, try to live and make the most of each day the good Lord above has given us.  That's all I know how to do.  We also, do a "boat-load" of research on this awful disease that has claimed the life of my very 1st Valentine.  I have been on the net trying to figure out the best way to use the talents and resources God gave me to combat this killer.  Did you know that Alzheimer's is the nation's 6th largest killer.  Did you also know that scientists really don't know if Alzheimer's is the cause of or the result of what is going on in the brain of a dementia patient.  There are so many little known facts that I want to discuss here and keep everyone updated for starters.  I have a few passions in life and I think that this project is fast becoming one.   I am going try to not let my Dad's death of the is hideous disease be in vain.  So Let's get back to some education.....

Stage 4 as defined by the Alzheimer's Association

• Decreaed knowledge of recent occasions or current events
  
• Impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic -- for example, to count backward from 75 by 7s
  
• Decreased capacity to perform complex tasks, such as planning dinner for guests, paying bills and managing finances
  
• Reduced memory of personal history
  
• The affected individual may seem subdued and withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations
  

This stage is very noticeable to friends & family but does vary from patient to patient.  For example, my Dad could remember his time in the Navy when he couldn't remember what he at for breakfast.  And of course depending on the patient's personality before onset, you may or may not notice them being withdrawn or subdued.  My Dad was a quiet sort of man, so if he didn't talk a lot that wasn't abnormal.  I suppose that if I were making an assessment of a patient, I would take his behavior as a whole and not necessarily individual events into account.  So now onto my favorite part.....

Pic of the Day

Blessings & More