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.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Last night I wanted turnips really bad so I waded up in the mud to the garden. It was too muddy for my scooter so I had to walk. I got the turnips and came back home to cut off the tops on the back porch. I was standing in the yard cutting off the tops when I don’t know really what happened but the next thing I knew I was laying in the muddy yard. Lucky for me that Dave and Kenny were near by. Kenny was getting ready to fly his plane and Dave was there with him. I hollered for Dave and they came and helped me get up. My shoulder was hurting and so was my arm. But I am okay but real sore today. I am so lucky that Dave was near by and that I didn’t hit my head on the birdbath that was near by… I hosted the afternoon chat and had a good crowd show up… Sean came over and had Marley with him so I got a Marley fix… Kenny picked corn and green beans for us and mowed our grass. Dave is still dizzy… We had a delicious supper from the garden again… I need to go host the evening chat… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Friday, June 29, 2007

Happy Birthday Lori!!! Lori is our daughter in Norman, Oklahoma… We are still having Rain. Today marks the 17th consecutive day of rain and we are getting sick of it… I watched a movie and watched the birds at the feeder. They were singing and I saw the red headed woodpecker eating the suet. He didn’t seem to mind that Shiloh and I were outside watching him… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Happy Anniversary Phil and Diane!!! Phil and Diane are friends in Australia… Thanks to Miracela for visiting Mary’s Place and signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html
Dave and I have had a busy day. We both had doctor appointments… After seeing our doctors we went to eat at the Mexican Restaurant here in Piedmont. It is always great food… I hosted chat tonight for Lynne in Texas because she isn’t feeling well. Feel better Lynne… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Happy Birthday Sis!!! Sis is our friend in Rusk Texas…It was afternoon before I got out of bed and got in the shower. I wish I knew why I am dragging like this. I don’t like it one bit… I fixed a breakfast for supper… I went to chat and the friends there made me laugh and I needed that. What a great bunch of friends… I received an email from Laura, a good friend in Tennessee. It had been so long since I had heard from her that it brought tears to my eyes when I saw it… I got on my scooter and went to the garden but still too muddy for me. I checked on my flowers and the Hibiscus is ready to bloom and the Cosmos are so pretty. The Pansies are still very pretty. Usually they are about gone by this time because of the heat. They must be enjoying all our rain. We broke a record today with rain for fifteen straight days. I deadheaded the roses and I thought the mosquitoes were going to carry me away… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

We have had 14 days of rain. I wanted to go to the garden but don’t want to get in the mud. Maybe tomorrow I can go… I have had one of those days. Just can’t seem to get motivated to do any thing.. I am having more trouble trying to bring up the words I want to say and it is so aggrevating… The Schwan man came today and I gave him a good order… Dave is putting a phone in our safe room… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, June 25, 2007

Happy Anniversary Chip and Sharon!!! Chip and Sharon are our friends in Florida… Today was laundry day… I cooked the turnips and beets. Dave doesn’t like turnips so I get them all to myself and we have a bumper crop of turnips I need to find some neighbors who like them to share with… Thanks to Duchess in Ohio for helping host chats and giving me a break... I helped Dave cook our supper… Sean and Billie came over and brought us some delicious cookies. I held Marley for a little bit. They didn’t come inside they were off to shoot some fireworks… Goodnight All.. Keeping the Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Today has flown by. I watched a couple Lifetime movies… Our neighbor’s Sean and Billie came over with their three little ones to visit. They brought us a pineapple upside down cake. What great neighbors. They walked up to see Kenny and Kathy’s new barn and left the baby with me for a while. So I got my baby Marley fix… Kenny tilled the garden today and it looks so much better. I was a little nervous about him doing it because I was afraid he might till up some vegetables so I was out there on my scooter supervising… Kenny and I went to the garden this evening I pulled some turnips and beets and Kenny picked the corn. Then I shucked and cooked it for our supper. Kenny and Kathy came down and brought steaks and we had steak and corn on the cob. Yummy!!! Dave is one hard guy to hold down. He is supposed to be on bed rest. I caught him out on the big tractor mowing. That stresses me…. The passion vine had it first flower today… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Saturday, June 23, 2007

When I woke up this morning Dave told me he was having back pain and was dizzy. I asked him to call his doctor and he did and the doctor told him to go to the emergency room. I tried to get Dave to let me call 911 but he wouldn’t so I called Kenny and he came right down and drove us to Mercy Hospital. We were surprised when we got there and there weren’t many people in the waiting room. The nurse called us in before Dave could even start on filling out the paper work. They did a CT Scan, blood work, and X-rayed his back. The doctor said that Dave’s Potassium was low and he had a lot of wax buildup in his ears causing the dizziness and the back pain from the low potassium… We stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home and picked up medicines. Dave is on a bunch of new meds now and is on bed rest for a while… We had more storms tonight and another beautiful rainbow… Thanks Kenny for being there for us today… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, June 22, 2007

Today would have been my sister Lula's birthday...
I got up early this morning and stripped the bed because the maids are usually here early in the morning. I waited and waited for them to show up. Finally about 4:00 they got here… Dave drove the motor home around the area to get it warmed up so he could change the oil. The dogs and I went with him for the ride. Nothing better to do… I deadheaded the roses… We had showers this afternoon and I was out walking in them. It was the perfect shower to do that. Later when Dave and I were sitting on the back porch watching the blue birds we saw a rainbow… I took my laptop outside so I could chat outside. It was a beautiful evening… David and Howard called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma… My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Today is the first day of summer and the longest day of the year…
I had a ME morning as Dave had an appointment with the dental college. He is finished there for a while… I washed our comforter, picked up around the house getting ready for the Molly Maid’s visit tomorrow, fixed supper using our first bell pepper from our garden, and hosted the DASNI chat at http://www.alzinfo.com/community/chatrooms/ … I have been reading up on Dave’s cancer, ocular melanoma. It is a very rare cancer. If you would like to read more about it here is a link telling all about it. http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Eye/Melanomaoftheeye#7688
Ben called and it was good hearing his voice… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

We had thunderstorms all night last night. Shiloh and I slept with an eye open so doing that I didn’t sleep well. Plus the weather radio kept going off… I am having much more trouble with anxieties… This morning I went with Dave for a doctor appointment. Dave had some lab work done last week and the doctor didn’t like the report so he had him repeat it. The doctor is thinking that the lab made a mistake. While we were there I asked the doctor if he could increase my BuSpar and he said that he could increase it. Right now I am taking 10mg three times a day and he said he could double that. I sure hope that will take care of my anxieties… I went to the Beauty Shop and had my artificial nails removed and then we went to Olive Garden for lunch… Tonight Dave picked green beans and I broke them and cooked them for supper and we had Lori’s delicious Stroganoff… A special hello to George and Carol in Louisville, Kentucky… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Thanks to Diane in Santa Rosa/ Sonoma, California for visiting Mary’s Place and signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html
It was a 92-degree day with a heat index of 103. Summer is here and the Air Conditioner is very welcomed today… I finished up the laundry and shelled peas. I enjoy shelling peas and eating them much better than I enjoy picking them… Sandy in Ohio hosted chat this afternoon and gave me a break. Thank you Sandy… Good Night All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Monday, June 18, 2007

Happy Birthday Candy!!! Candy is a friend in California….
Thanks to Frank in United Kingdom for visiting Mary ‘s Place and signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html We had a day without rain and that was nice… I hosted both chats, did laundry, picked peas, and fixed supper… Tonight I went up to visit with Kathy and watched Kenny make the first flight on a new plane that Dave just built for him. There were no problems… Dave is saying that he is noticing his vision is getting worse already... Wesley and Norita called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Happy Father’s Day!!! We went to David and Lori’s for a wonderful dinner. David and Lori went all out preparing a delicious barbecue meal. There were twenty of us there to enjoy fellowship and a dinner. I got my grandkid fix and plenty of hugs and kisses. I am happy but really tired tonight … Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, June 16, 2007

We got more rain today. I think we have had about enough for a while… I watched a DVD “Failure to Launch” I need all the comedy I can get right now… I hosted the afternoon and evening chats… Dave and I went to the muddy garden and picked green beans, zucchini, squash, and turnips. We sure are enjoying our vegetables… I called Pat in Midwest City and David and Kenny called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Friday, June 15, 2007

Last night it was very stormy so I shut down my computer and went to bed. That is the reason for no journal entry last night… This afternoon I went with Dave to the Oncology Doctor at the St. Anthony’s Hospital. We waited two hours to see the doctor. They apologized and the doctor was very nice. He is tentatively scheduled for surgery on July 9th. At that time he will have a radiation patch sewn on his eye. It takes time to get the seeds for the patch. I had plenty of magazines to read while I was in the waiting room so that kept me out of trouble… I am enjoying the daytime awards show… We sure are getting plenty of rain… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

I hosted the afternoon DASNI chat and then Dave and I went to the garden to pick green beans for supper. They were so good… Please keep Dave in your prayers. He has been having trouble with the vision in his left eye. He went to see the eye doctor and was referred to a specialist then this specialist referred him to a retinal specialist who he saw this morning.. He found out that he has an ocular melanoma in his left eye. He will be going into the hospital for five days soon for radiation. This is so scary for both us. It was just about a year ago that he found out he had kidney cancer and now this. God got us through it before and we know he will get us through this… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

My email: marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Tuesday, June 12, 2007


I didn’t do much of anything today. Dave had an eye appointment with the specialist. He is being referred to a retina specialist and he will see this one first thing in the morning. I am really getting worried now… I hosted chat then Josh came down and we watched RV again… We had to cancel out the senior center tomorrow because of Dave’s appointment. We will get there in due time… Lori called and invited us out for Father’s Day. I am looking forward to that. I need a great granddaughter fix… We got our first zucchini and beets out of garden… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

My email marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Monday, June 11, 2007

As soon as I got up this morning and got out of the shower I started the laundry. I had several loads to do… We took Josh to Moore to get his senior picture made. Then we went to the base and I got a haircut. We bought Josh a new shirt for making great grades. Then we went out to eat… I am really tired tonight, can’t wait to get to bed. I had to ask Dave to help me finish up laundry, that is very unusual for me… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, June 10, 2007

This morning I watched Church services on TV… The other day I received a letter from Norita and some more red poppy seeds. I will get them planted and I hope next year that they will all come up… Kenny came down this morning and I walked around the yard with him as he was spraying round up on our weeds. He takes good care of us… Dave has been cleaning out the flower beds and putting down fresh mulch… I cleaned the bathrooms, kitchen, and cleaned the fish tank… We got a good rain this afternoon, so much for the weed killer. Dave took me for a drive in the car. While we were out we saw a beautiful rainbow and later when we got home we saw another one… I am watching the Tony Awards… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Saturday, June 09, 2007

I didn’t post a journal last night because I wasn’t worth shooting last night. I don’t know what was wrong but I felt terrible. I went to bed early… Today I have watched some lifetime movies and worked some in the Rose garden. I hosted the afternoon and evening chats… It has been very hot and humid today. I would go outside and wasn’t long till I was ready to come back to the nice cool house. I don’t know how Dave can stand to be out in it like he does…. I called Aunt Flo and George and Carol and David called me… Tonight I watered the flowers and sat outside and watched the bluebirds feed their babies… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Happy Birthday Susan!!! Susan is a friend in Canada… Dave left early this morning for an eye appointment. He has been having problems with his eye. I hope it isn’t anything serious. He has been referred to a specialist… I fixed lunch, hosted chats, folded laundry, read our local weekly newspaper, and fixed supper. We had radishes, peas, squash, and green beans out of our garden… Tonight is Dr. Mitch’s chat in the Dr. Mitch’s chat room... I have had my scooter now for a year and I have put many miles on it. I am sure glad I have it. I went up to see Heather, Sammy, and Teddy. Sammy likes it when I give him a ride on my scooter… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

I woke up with a terrible headache this morning. We had planned on going to the senior center for lunch but because I didn’t feel well Dave cancelled. We will try another time. I am anxious to see what it is all about… The wind is terrible today. I thought I was going to blow away when I was out watering the hanging basket. I had to hang on to the porch post… The cosmos are starting to bloom… The guy came today to fix my computer, he replaced the video card… I took a nap after supper then Dave and I watched the movie “ RV” and laughed… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Today is the day I dreaded yesterday. I had to get up early for a follow up appointment with Dr. Baugh, the doctor who treats my asthma and everything was fine. I noticed when I picked up a magazine to read and was reaching down to put on my reading glasses that I had two pair hanging around my neck. Dave needs to start watching me closer.


We went to the pharmacy at Tinker Air Force Base to get our drugs and after that we had lunch at Charley’s. Then we went to the commissary for groceries. I was really tickled when I found out the coupons I went through yesterday saved us about $50.00… When we got home I helped put groceries away and did a load of laundry. Dave had started a crock-pot meal early this morning so our supper was already for us when we got home… After supper we went over next door and I fed Marley… Kenny came down and brought me a new arm rest for our tow car… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Monday, June 04, 2007

It is a Monday and I was feeling overwhelmed with the things I needed to get accomplished today… I noticed this morning when I was checking out the garden that the red poppies are blooming. These seeds came from my California sister. She also sent me the orange poppies that are blooming. I have hollyhocks from my Tennessee brother and this morning I noticed a hummingbird was enjoying the hollyhocks, the butterflies like them too… I made out a grocery list for tomorrow and went through my coupons, did laundry, and hosted the DASNI chats at http://www.alzinfo.com/community/chatrooms/ If you are interested in joining our chats click on the above link. We chat each day at 3:00 PM and again at 9:00 PM EST … Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Sunday, June 03, 2007

This morning Dave and I planted the tomatoes and eggplants. I mostly supervise because I do it so well… The rest of the day I watched Lifetime TV except for the times I was in the chat room hosting… We had a crock-pot meal for supper… Dave and Kenny made a trip to Home Depot and while they were gone I went to visit Sean and Billie. I needed another baby Marley fix. I held her for about an hour and then came home… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, June 02, 2007

I woke up feeling rested this morning. I watched a little TV then I got my shower and I went with Dave to run some errands. We stopped and picked up a couple more tomato plants and a couple eggplants to put in the garden. We went by Alfred and Martha’s house. They have five new Schnauzer puppies just a couple weeks old. I held one they are so sweet. Then we went by Braums to pick up milk and decided to have a buttered pecan mix while we were there… Kathy and I were checking out the garden earlier tonight and got more radishes and a few snow peas. I came right home and got the peas ready to stir-fry. There weren’t that many but they were sure yummy… My computer was acting up again. Dave was on the phone with Dell for about two hours. They are sending a tech out to replace the video card… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma.
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com

Friday, June 01, 2007

Happy Birthday Norita!!! Norita is my sister in Lake Isabella, California… The house is clean and the laundry is all done. Now I can enjoy the weekend… I talked to Norita and Lynn my school friend in South Dakota also Jan/Mina… Another good rain today but I think we have had enough for a while… I hosted both the DASNI chats… I have been really tired today… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma
marylockhart@atlinkwifi.com