Mary's Place

A web page about the life of a lady who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Name:
Location: Piedmont, Oklahoma, United States

I live in Piedmont, OK, with my Husband of 50 years who has been very supportive. We have 2 sons,David and Kenny, 6 grandkids, and 6 great grandkids. I enjoy feeding and watching the birds and squirrels. Before I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I ran a Licensed Day Care Home for Infants for 15 years. I noticed I wasn't able to remember important things and having problems with my speech. I was experiencing severe headaches. I would get lost. I didn't know how to use the computer. At the age of 55, I told my doctor. I was sent for an MRI. which showed a large amount of shrinkage. I went to a neurologist who sent me for two days of testing. I was diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. My husband and I were both in shock. I had to give up my job. I went to see a social worker. I've taken Aricept for 11 years. I can now use the computer and even do this web page. I also host a chat room for dementia patients. This is a very lonely disease. I don't want anyone to feel as lonely as I did when I was diagnosed (I thought I was the only one over 50 that had Alzheimer's). In 2006 I started taking Namenda. Also I was told I have a mixed dementia, Alzheimer's/Vascular.

Friday, September 02, 2005

It was 8:30 and Dave had taken Cindy to the groomers this morning when the phone rang and woke me up. It was a lady from Kitchen Aid telling me that they don’t have a refrigerator like ours in their warehouse and it could be a couple weeks before they locate one. The reason it is so hard to locate one is because it is stainless steel and has the freezer on the bottom and they are hard to come by… I went with Dave to pick up Cindy from the groomers as I felt like I was starting to get cabin fever. I don’t think I have been anywhere for a couple weeks. We stopped at Sonic for lunch… I called Chip. I saw on the caller ID that he had been trying to call me. He said that he just got a new book on Early Stage Alzheimer’s. I forget the name of it but he said he and I were both featured in the book and so was our friend Jeanne Lee in Hawaii… I have felt kind of down today. Watching the hurricane victims on the news is so depressing. I turn it off but next thing I know I am turning it back on again… Our friends are gone to Vermont. This evening David and Lori flew to Atlanta, Georgia and Kenny, Kathy, Josh, and Heather drove to Houston… I miss them already… I fixed a pot of butterbeans and some cornbread for supper. Corn bread is one of my comfort foods… Dave and I sat out the back porch until the mosquitoes came. We got inside just in time to watch a beautiful sunset… Kenny called a little while ago they had stopped in Dallas to eat… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

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