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, August 31, 2007

It is the last day of another month. I don’t know where this month went as it seemed to fly by… I have gotten so far behind on answering emails. If you have written me and I haven’t answered, please be patient. I will get to it… I went with Dave to his doctor’s appointment and he got a good report on his lab tests… Tonight we have a DASNI board meeting. I hope I can stay awake for it… I watched the deer tonight. They came out about 45 minutes earlier than usual and they are still out… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Happy 38th Anniversary Dewey and Judy!!! Judy is Dave’s sister in Clemmons, North Carolina… Thanks to Janey in Plainfield, Illinois for visiting Mary’s Place and signing my guest book… I did laundry, fixed lunch, and helped with supper… I didn’t see the deer tonight… I am tired and have a headache so I am off to bed… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

If you would like to read my journals from years ago you can do that by going to my web page at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html I have been doing an online journal since 1999…. I made up some nectar for the hummingbirds. I have to keep them happy… We are about to run out of watermelons in the garden. We have been eating watermelon everyday and loving it… I did laundry and got them all put away. One more load to do but I am putting that off until tomorrow… Went to exercise and visited with the ladies. One of the women who works there has a couple kids, one little boy who is 11 asked me, “Do you mind if I ask you how old you are?” I said no of course not and I told him how old I was. Later I heard his Mother telling him that you don’t ask a lady how old she is and he asked her why. LOL … I went over to say hello to the neighbors and got my Marley fix. She is getting big and is laughing out loud. I left there and came back to watch the deer… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Thanks to Hana in Arad, Israel for leaving a message on my blog…
Woke up this morning feeling better than I have in a long time. I cleaned the bathroom, stripped the bed and washed the sheets, went to the chat room and chatted with my DASNI friends, and fixed supper… Going to exercise is getting easier and I love being able to talk to people with faces… I watched the deer tonight. I was sitting out there waiting for them when they came out wagging their tails. The deer are one reason we moved to the country… My brother George called… Goodnight All… Keeping the Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, August 27, 2007

After I worked out we went to visit Martha and Alfred and run some errands. I got a new Japanese maple tree, my other one died … We didn’t get home in time to see the deer but I did see a beautiful full moon out the window when we were eating supper tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, August 26, 2007

This morning I watched the church services on television then I watched a movie…. It was so good knowing I didn’t have to leave the house today to go exercise. Going six days a week is a bit much but I need to keep it up…. Dave and I have been busy getting the motor home cleaned up. I washed the curtains and cleaned the windows, blinds, the mirrors. It was hot out there so I had to take it easy … I hosted chat and it was so good to have Duchess back with us… I fixed supper and now I am really tired. I am going out to see if I can see the deer and I think I will be going to bed early tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, August 25, 2007

This morning I watched a lifetime movie on television but I already forgot the name of it. I went to exercise and when I got home I deadheaded the roses and hibiscus… Dave and I watched the deer again tonight. There is a doe and two fawns and the doe is crippled. They come out every evening at the same time… Norita called me and I called my Aunt Flo… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, August 24, 2007

Today would have been my baby brother’s birthday. Thinking of you Everett and missing you…
It rained most of the day, then the sun came out later this afternoon… I wanted to skip going to work out today because I am so tired of going everyday. But I pushed myself into going and I am glad I did. When I got there, I was the only one working out but when I was finishing up another lady came in… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Happy Anniversary Michael and Sally!!! Michael and Sally are friends in Hollywood, California… I woke up at 4:00 this morning to go to the bathroom and I didn’t get back to sleep until after 6:00. I am really sore today. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. I am going six days a week. Dave and the kids tell me they are proud of me for doing this. It does make me feel good to be doing something that is good for me… The dogs love me today because I cooked them more carrots. Shiloh is able to eat them raw but Cindy and Karmelita don’t have enough teeth to eat them raw… I fixed lunch, supper, and hosted the evening chat… Kathy and I watched the deer again tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

The headaches are gone today… It was almost noon when I woke up this morning but that is okay because I am retired… I am starting to get sore from exercising and I have added riding the bike after I do the tables… When I got home I dusted our bedroom, did a load of laundry, fixed supper, and hosted chat. We had a fun chat tonight. We have a new guy from Brazil and we were talking about foods, our favorite topic. I mentioned I had fried taters for supper and Lynne mentioned she had spuds. Cris wanted to know what spuds and taters were. Cris said he was going to have to buy another dictionary. LOL Dave and I are really enjoying our watermelons from the garden and we are sharing with the neighbors… Dave replaced the air filter and fuel filter in the motor home. I called my friend Lynn in South Dakota and she will be attending our 50th class reunion. She was my best friend in high school and she and her husband Bob stood up with us when we got married… Tonight I went to the garden with Dave while he picked okra then I went in to visit with Kathy and the kids. We sat out on their back porch and watched three deer in the field... Kenny just left; he brought us a sack full of corn from the garden. This is from our second planting… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

I have been having headaches off and on since last night… I went and toned today and there is much more to those toning tables than you would think, not near as easy as it looks on Television… I helped fix supper, did a load of laundry, hosted chat… I am really looking forward to going to bed tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, August 20, 2007

Happy Anniversary Peter and Ann!!! Peter and Ann are friends in England... Dave brings me breakfast in bed every morning and he has done that now for several years. This morning I went to reach for my bib on the bedside table and I dumped my cranberry juice all over the bed. What a mess that was. I had planned on washing the sheets anyhow. But I ended up washing sheets, comforter, and mattress pad too. That is the first mess I have ever made in all the years that I have been having breakfast in bed so guess that is something to be proud of… I did it!!! I joined tan and tone and went today for the first workout. There were several ladies that were working out. Becky, the girl who took me through the exercise tables is very sweet. Dave drove me there and he read while I was there… I gave the dogs a good brushing. I have been neglectful in doing that, I should do it daily… Chip called this morning and it is always nice to catch up with my friend Mr. Chip… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Last night was one of our worse nights ever. I go to bed around 9:30 and I toss and turn till almost midnight trying to wind down and fall asleep. That is how it is every night for me. I had barely gotten asleep when the weather alarm went off saying thunderstorm warning. Then about an hour later there was another alarm going off, this one was a flood warning. Then I finally get back to sleep and at 2:30 there was another warning for a tornado. So we got the three dogs, medicines, cell phone, and my purse and go to the safe room. We were in there about an hour until it was safe to come out. Went back to sleep and the alarms kept going off but by this time I didn’t care what it was saying I wasn’t going to get out of bed again… We got plenty of wind and rain but no damage… Dave and I watched a movie “Freedom Writers” and we both enjoyed it… I cleaned the bathroom, fixed lunch and supper, cleaned the aquarium, and did a load of laundry… Josh came down tonight and I got him to edit my journal… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, August 18, 2007

Yesterday David and Lori took me shopping at the mall and I found just what I was looking for. I also bought David and Lori a pair of shoes for their birthdays. David and Lori are planning a trip to New York City next month… I was just too tired by the time I got home last night to do a journal entry. All I could think of was going to bed… This morning I woke up to Kenny cutting our grass. Thank you Kenny… This afternoon I went to Tan and Tone to check out the tables. I am going to sign up next week if my doctor gives me the okay. There are some of the tables I won’t be able to use but I think it will be good for me to get out and hopefully meet some new people. Some of my best friends I have met exercising… I hosted chats and folded clothes and put them away… It was a year ago today that Dave had his kidney surgery… We got some much-needed rain today… In fact it is raining now so I need to go out and walk in it. Shiloh likes walking in the rain with me… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Happy Birthday Larry!!! Larry is our friend in Iowa Park, Texas… I cut up okra and put it in the freezer. Not my favorite thing to do but I pushed myself to do it and this winter I will be happy I did it… Josh and Heather went back to school today. I called Josh and Heather because I wanted to hear about their first day. Josh said it was OK and Heather said it was Good… Dave took Shiloh back to the Vet today to get her stitches removed… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Happy Birthday Laura!!! Laura is our friend in Nashville, Tennessee… Happy Anniversary Larry and Lynne!!! Larry and Lynne are friends in Iowa Park, Texas… It has been another hot day… I fixed lunch, hosted chats, and did laundry… This evening I went up to the garden with Dave while he picked okra. Josh came out and gave me a hug. Heather came down tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Dave gave me a vitamin B/12 injection this morning and then he colored my hair for me. I don’t know what I would do without Dave and I never want to find out either… Kathy picked a couple more watermelons and brought them down to us. She really knows when to pick them. Our watermelons are so good this year, the best we have ever had… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, August 13, 2007

After lunch Dave and I left to go shopping. I needed a new post op shoe. After hitting several stores in the extreme heat I found one that fit correctly. Now I need to find a shoe for the other foot… We stopped by Alfred and Martha’s to visit a little bit. Alfred’s Mother is visiting them for a couple weeks and we are hoping they will bring her out here one evening for dinner. We left there and picked up some groceries and plenty of fresh fruit. I found some nice peaches at Braums and of course some ice cream too… David and Lori called, George called, and so did Richard… When we came by the bank in Piedmont this evening it was showing 103 degrees… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, August 12, 2007

I attended church services on TV this morning. Then I took my shower and stripped the bed and started the laundry… Kathy invited us up for supper. After supper we went to the garden a picked our first watermelon… Jeanne in Hawaii and Janey in Illinois called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Tonight at supper I was watching the tiniest hummingbird sitting on a branch of the passionflower. It was being blown back and forth by the wind. He was swinging… Dave continues to have problems with being dizzy and that worries me… I hosted both of the DASNI chats at http://www.alzinfo.com/community/chatrooms/ and did a load of laundry… George and Carol called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, August 10, 2007

It was a hot day and I didn’t do anything except host chats and fixed supper. I was going to do something all day but never did manage to do it… Tonight I felt like I was getting cabin fever. I got on my scooter and went up to check the garden. Kenny was up there checking his corn… Then I went in to talk to Josh and Kathy and play with the grand puppies. They are always happy to see me… Shiloh is doing fine. She doesn’t act like anything is wrong with her… David and Lori called. Lori and I are planning a trip to the mall next week… Alfred called with some bad news. He has lung and renal cancer. Please, please keep Alfred and Martha in your prayers…

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Happy 22nd Anniversary Vince and Jean!!! Vince and Jean are friends who live in Ohio… Last night I went to bed without taking my bedtime medicines. First time I have done that… Shiloh tore her belly open. We are thinking she did it on the neighbor’s barbwire fence. She spent the day at the Veterinarian’s office getting sewed up. Dave picked her up after supper tonight. She has a bandage around her tummy and is supposed to keep that on for a few days. She is very quiet tonight… I folded clothes that were left in the dryer from the other day and helped fix supper. It is so hot I don’t even care if the flowers outside die. I don’t want to be out in that heat… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Dave went this morning to see his kidney doctor and doesn’t have to go back for six months. Then this afternoon he went to see the doctor who did his eye surgery. I went with him to this appointment. I wanted to hear what the doctor had to say and to ask some questions. Doctor will see him again in three months… I took my clothes back to Kohl’s and couldn’t find anything I wanted so will go shopping another time. It is so hot I just wanted to come home. This heat makes me tired… I hosted chat this evening… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

This morning Dave and I worked on cleaning out our closet. We got rid of a lot of clothes that we no longer wear. We will donate them… I did laundry and tonight after the sun went down I deadheaded the flowers. It was 99 degrees today and I know the heat index was up in the 100’s… I hosted chat for Sandy who had a doctor appointment today… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, August 06, 2007

Dave took the motor home in this morning to have the air conditioner serviced. They ran into problems so it is costing us big bucks. Not what we wanted right now but it had to be fixed before we go on our trip… Martha called and Alfred has some medical problems. Please keep him in your prayers… Alfred and Martha came out this evening and we shared some key lime pie. I am glad we can be there for them. They were there for us when we needed a friend… Kenny mowed our yard tonight. Thanks Kenny, much appreciated... Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Dave left this morning to spend the day with our sons. They went to take glider rides. I stayed in bed to rest. I watched several church services and it felt good… Tonight I am enjoying Lawrence Welk shows on PBS… Good Night All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, August 04, 2007

Happy Birthday Richard!!! Richard is our brother in Smithville, Tennessee… Dave took me to get groomed today then we went to Kohl’s looking for something for me to wear to my class reunion next month. They were having a tax free weekend here so I thought I would take advantage of that. I don’t like to try on clothes in the store so I brought them all home to try on. Nothing fits or looks good so looks like I will be taking them all back… Oh well I got some retail therapy anyway… I wasn’t really hungry for a meal tonight and neither was Dave so I made us a salad and that hit the spot… David called this morning. Tonight Kenny and Kathy came down to show us Sammy and Teddy. They both got groomed today too. They asked us to go to the comedy club with them but we declined. I was tired and my knees have really been bothering me and so has my foot. I hope they will ask us again… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, August 03, 2007

I got up earlier than usual to finish preparing for the maids visit. I did a load of laundry and chatted with friends in the DASNI chat room… We enjoyed a delicious lunch that was brought over last night by Dylan that Billie had made… Tonight I watched “Because I Said So” … Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, August 02, 2007

David called yesterday. He had Madison and Macey there so I got to talk to them. Madison just lost her first tooth and she was telling me the tooth fairy left her five dollars. I think I might have got a nickel from the tooth fairy. Times have changed… I put chicken breast in the crock-pot this morning to cook for supper. Dr. Mitch will be in chat tonight and I will be hosting that. We love it when Dr. Mitch comes and chats with us… I had a phone call from Carole… It was a warm day; it keeps getting closer to that 100 mark but so far hasn’t hit it… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Happy Birthday Martha!!! Martha is my sister in Kentucky… Today Dave had to go to Tinker Air Force Base to get a new ID card. Dave thought I should stay home since he knew that he would have a long wait and I don’t do waiting very good anymore. He had a four-hour wait so I was glad I stayed home… I went to the garden and picked some zucchini and cantaloupes. I fed the birds, helped fixed supper and worked in the flower beds deadheading and etc… I am waiting on it to get dark so I can go to bed. Dave and I are both dragging today… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma