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.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

We got another good rain last night… Dave had an appointment with the Urologist this morning and this afternoon I had an appointment with the orthopedic doctor… While we were out we ran some errands. When we got home I was starving since I missed out on lunch and I so hate to miss a meal. LOL I fixed supper… Please keep Dave in your prayers… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Happy Belated Birthday Lynn!!! Lynn is our DASNI friend in Vancouver, BC... We got rain last night and it looks like we may get a chance for more tonight and we will take all we can get… Dave took the motor home in for a transmission problem that started on our vacation. Found out it was a problem that was on recall. Lucky for us… The Schwan man came today and I made him happy when I gave him a large order. I will do almost anything to keep from going to the grocery store… Tonight I fixed some of Lori’s leftover vegetable soup for supper. It was quick and delicious. David brought us Lori’s leftovers when he visited us Saturday… Tonight I sat outside eating popcorn and being entertained by Dave flying his sailplane, Kenny cutting his grass and the birds flying in and out of the birdhouses. Dave bought sunflower seeds today and filled the feeders but so far the birds haven’t noticed it was there. They were without seed for so long… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, May 29, 2006

Happy Memorial Day!!! I hope you enjoyed today. I have had a restful day… This evening I enjoyed being out on the back porch visiting with Dave and Kenny… So far the mosquitoes haven’t been bothering us. I think the wind is keeping them away… I did some laundry, pulled some weeds, and fixed supper… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Last night Kenny invited us up to watch the fights on Pay Per View with them. I usually turn them down but Dave enjoys them so I decided I would go watch them with him… It was past by bedtime when we got home and I could hardly wait to go to bed… Today I noticed we have a tomato in the garden that is almost ripe. This will be our first homegrown tomato for this year. Yummy… I watered the indoor plants and the potted Geraniums outside. With the hot weather and strong winds we are having they dry out in a hurry… Today was in the 90’s again… I filled the Hummingbird feeder and it was out there no time till the wind emptied it. I fed the tomatoes Miracle Gro and the Roses too. Dave picked peas and I helped him hull them. That took awhile then I cooked them for our supper… I don’t know where today went but it flew by… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Thanks to Richard in Smithville, Tennessee for visiting Mary’s Place and signing my guest book… Congratulations to Dewey and Judy in Clemmons, North Carolina on the birth of their first grandson…
Last night while I was in chat Dave hung the three birdhouses that his brother Wesley gave me while we were visiting them in Lake Isabella. I have quiet a collection of birdhouses. Now we need to get out and buy some sunflower seeds for our birds. I still haven’t filled the hummingbird feeder since I returned home. I am so bad!!! Our son David came by for a very short visit this morning. David always is in a hurry. He picked up Josh to take him to a movie. This was a birthday gift from him to Josh… I folded the laundry that was left in the dryer and washed another load, cleaned the bathrooms, hosted the afternoon chat, got caught up on the Piedmont newspapers, and fixed supper… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, May 26, 2006

Guess my vacation caught up with me last night and today. Last night I was so tired and irritable that I couldn’t stand myself… Today I spent the biggest part of the day in bed resting even though I have so much that needs to be done. I even took a long nap and I never take naps. I am afraid I might miss something… Tonight after supper Dave and I sat outside on the back porch. Kenny and Josh came down and joined us. Josh moved all the rocks to the back of the house from the motor home that we collected on our vacation… I hosted the evening chat at http://www.alzinfo.com/community/chatrooms/… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Happy Birthday Dave!!! Dave celebrated his 65th birthday today… We made a trip to Tinker to go to the pharmacy and pick up a few things at the BX. We picked up Josh had his great grandparents on the way… We then met David, Lori, Kenny, and Heather at Applebee’s in Midwest City for a nice dinner and birthday cake. Kathy had to work… Then we went to Kenny and Kathy’s to watch a DVD that Josh had bought… I am really tired tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Thanks to Peg in Ohio, Susan in Canada, Renee in Albany, California, Nancy and Mary Beth in Topeka, Kansas, Rosemary in Randolph, New Jersey, and Kenny in Piedmont, Oklahoma for visiting Mary’s Place and signing my guest book… I pulled weeds today and fixed lunch and supper… Dave just came in and said that Kathy was really upset. She went out to our garden and something has eaten all the lettuce and radishes. This is the first time we have had that happen… It is hard to believe that we have been living here for two years now. Hi Chuck and Jean, when will you be out to visit us??? Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

I am back!!! Now if I can only remember how to do a journal… Dave and I returned yesterday from almost four weeks of vacationing. This was our longest and best vacation ever. We traveled over 5000 miles and visited ten states and Vancouver, B.C… I started laundry right away yesterday and I am about to get caught up. I can’t stand dirty clothes… Kenny did a great job looking after things while we were away. I came home to a blooming African Violet that had stopped blooming for me but Kenny had the magic touch and got it in full bloom… The Roses in my Rose Garden are all blooming and so are the Lillies and other flowers. I had one California Red Poppy in bloom… This afternoon Dave and I got out in the wind and picked peas which I shelled for our supper… I fed the roses and deadheaded them… I could write so much more about our trip but I am still tired. I think this trip is going to take awhile to get rested up from… I want to thank everyone who we visited and who made our vacation a memorable one… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma