Alice and Corey, Jenifer and Easton a visit.

I came home from Alice's and this visit was nice.  The kid's and Daniela came out to visit.  We sat up in the front and had donuts and hot cocoa.  Alice enjoyed the visit with all of us and really liked holding Easton. 

By the time they left she was getting pretty tired and you knew she wanted to go back to her room to rest.  Of course she then decided she wanted to go home and I had to call Irv and he told her he would be up tomorrow for breakfast with her.  She calmed down a little, but I left about 7 pm and the nursed called Irv that she was very upset.  Didn't realize where she was and needed Irv.  It seems to get harder and harder for her, but we hope when she gets to come home she will be more calm. 

This was a back date, but I just wanted to remember some of the things that have been going on.

Memories can be so good when you can remember

Do you ever have a thought or a memory and it can make you feel good or maybe even bad, but you remember it to share with someone.  My Sis may suddenly remember something, but with in 5 or 10 minutes it is gone.  It is so good to see her mind working and bringing back things even though she does not remember thing you talk about 5 minutes ago. 

Today was very good.  She went to the store with Irv and that always makes her happy.  When she got home we watch some TV and I helped her fold some clothes.  Then oh no she cleaned the kitty litter again and brought it in to me to see what she was doing.  Irv heard me telling her not to pick it up with her hands of course he was upset and got that taken care of and she washed her hands.  I tried to tell her that this was not a woman's job , but Irv's job.  She is wise at times she said what if there is no man.  I said then the woman has to do it.  Not a good answer for her.  I then said she was hurting Irv's feelings by not letting him do the cleaning.  Irv looked at me and grinned and said right Alice it makes him feel really bad.  Let's see what happens tomorrow. 

She took a nap this afternoon and she seemed to have a better evening.  She even stayed up till 7:45 which is late for her. 
We were watching the Dog Whisper show and that kept her attention.

I stopped and got her Valentine's candy Friday and that was just what she needed.  LOL  I wish a box of chocolate would make me feel the way it does her.

She has told me yesterday and today she didn't want me to go home and i feel bad when she says that.  I do have to go home tomorrow so not much I can do about it.  I know once  I leave she will soon forget.

Memories can be so good when you can remember

Today when I came in to the house I had a feeling Alice did not seem to remember me.  I didn't make it out last week and that makes it hard on her. 

We sat in the kitchen and ate lunch together then David came upstairs with a CD that he made for her with Elvis Presley songs.  She loved it and was even grooving to them.  LOL  She got up and was doing her little dance behind Irv.  Way to funny.  And a little embarrassing for me.  Oh well she was remembering the good old days when she was dating Irv I guess.

Later I was in the front room and she came in with a bag and wanted me to see what was in it.  She said she had to clean up after the pets .  She said Irv gave her that job.  Well she had been cleaning the kitty litter (with her bare hands)  Oh yuck.  I told her she should not do that and Irv heard me talking and came out and said Alice I clean that every evening.  She said ok and she went to wash her hands.  Twice.    This is something that she would never have done in all her life.  Nothing seems to bother her anymore.

At dinner she asked me who I was and I told her I was her sister and she just said oh.
While we were in the front room watching TV she asked again who I was.  She asked who the man was in the other room was.  Irv.  She wanted to know if he was my son.  Nope I said your husband.  She said or you sure? 

When Irv came out to the room she asked him if he was spending the night.  He said yes  for the last 30 years.  She laughed and said she didn't remember that.  Then she asked him if she was suppose to stay here tonight or what.  We both said yes it is you house too.

Irv did tell me tonight that she thought he was her dad the other night.  This must be really tough on him because I know how tough it is on me.  She was so tired she was going to stop working.  She the people really liked her at work because she made them feel good.  She sure did.  Everyone loved her at work and the patients always felt comfortable when she came to pick them up for surgery.

I watch her and pray for her and the family to make this as easy as it can be, but we have to just watch things get further away from Alice and not have any answers.  All things are in God's hands and we can only follow our hearts and his words.

Our Phone Chat sort of????

Called to talk with Alice since I didn't get to go out last week.  She was real sweet on the phone and seemed happy to be talking with me.  She talked about the weather and my weather.  Said it looked dark outside even though it was day time.  She does not care for evenings.

This picture is the last picture of Alice visiting me at my apartment last year.  Then everything started to happen and she fell and broke her hip and she took a turn for the worse with her memory.  The accident, the hospital, the rehab center then an infection in her hip and back at the hospital.  When she left the next time she went to Delmar Garden's in O'Fallon , Mo.  She did better hip wise there, but was getting harder for her to remember things and stay in the day.  When she finely got to come home you see a big difference. 

I ask her about the pet's Mandy, Molly and Miss Kitty and she said they were fine.  Except Miss Kitty was trying to play with her pants leg and she was going to damage it because of her nails.  I told her she didn't have any claws and she oh good I am glad you told me.

She said she just finished eating and I ask her what she had.  Even though she had just eaten she had to ask Irv what they had.  She then ask me again how was I doing?  That went on for about 4 more times.
I am going out Friday and she called Irv in the other room to see if that was ok.  It was.  lol

I need to get to the store before I go out to pick up some kind of chocolates for her.  You see I know what makes her happy.  It is kind of like going to see my grand kids and taking them something I know they like.

Well the chat was not for long, because she never talks long anymore.  I will write more later after being with my Sis.

Sunday and I am home with my family.

Hi I am Molly.  I am the newest member of Alice and Irv's home.   I look just like my masters dog when he was 13 years old.   His name was Ricky.  He really likes me and I get along with Miss Alice too.  I even get along with that silly black Miss Kitty.  The other little dog that lives here is old and almost blind. Her name is Mandy.  If anything happens to Mandy I will try and make Irv feel better .

Miss Alice is Irv's wife.  She is nice to me, but does some strange things at times.  She does not remember my name either.  I just go up and look at her and she pets me.  I don't care if she calls me by any name.   She called me Sarah today.   A good belly scratch is all I need.    Miss Alice felt bad when her sister left today.  She wanted her to stay longer.  Me to she plays with me and my rope.  She is not very strong like Irv or David, but  she pets good. 

Miss Alice is checking out the bedroom where  Miss Jessie sleeps in when she is here.  Oh my I think  Irv will have to check on what she is going to move or throw away.

Well just wanted you to know that I was very happy to be adopted by my master and his family.  I am going to have to learn to stop jumping up on people though.  And they have something against me barking at the kids in the back.  Humans are really kind of silly about things like that.  He has this collar he puts on my neck when I go out and I think he thinks I will remember not to bark at people.  How am I suppose to be a watch dog with that thing on? 

I do have one small problem my master Irv does not want Miss Alice to slip me bits of food and I know if I stay around her long enough she will forget and give me a treat.  She loves me.  I promise not to tell if she keeps it up once in a while.

Well that is all I have got to say.  Just stay happy and love your humans and they will love us.   Molly.

Who am I?

Do you ever wonder who you are?  Sometimes I do when I am going through something and I don't have an answer.  That is how I feel a lot of the times when I am with Alice.  I don't have the right words at times to put her mind at ease.  The good thing right now is it dose not take a lot to calm or change the subject to get things back on track.

She got mad and was going to leave Irv because he wouldn't let her clean the messy house. It's not messy. Maybe not perfect, but mine could be much better. I went into the bedroom and talked to her. I told her men are just not like us women always wanting things done now not later. They are happy with the bed unmade and not picking up every little piece of dust on the rug and we can't change them. She said I was right, but our mom taught us how to clean so it's her fault. She calmed down and came out and was all happy again.

I asked Irv what happened and she got mad at him when he told her she couldn't put the feather duster in the dish washer.   She does like to fill the dish washer and run it every day or more.

She got real excited when I asked her if she wanted to go with me to the store and out to lunch with just us girls. She was happy and even though it was not pretty outside she said it was fun to be with me her sister. She knew me then

We just went to Deals since it was smaller than going to WalMart and I could tell she was getting tired even though we had not been there that long. She loves loves Coke. When she saw the Coke glasses she wanted us to have one to drink our coke out of together. She wanted some Ginger Snaps and I thought this is like taking one of my little grand kids out shopping. $3.00 bucks is not bad for a shopping trip. lol

We went to Chic-fil-A and it had just opened and was so busy.  She loved it though because it gives her a chance to make new friends.  She does that where ever she goes.  She loved the chicken and I was not sure if she would, because she only eats hamburgers where ever she goes.  She made friends with the young men that came around to see if we needed anything.  I guess after about 4 times they new her name and mine .  When ever they walked by the said Hi Alice.  She said it was so nice they knew her name.  I asked one of the young men if he could bring her a cow like they give to the kids and he said no problem.  She was so happy she wanted to hug him and did.  He was a little surprised and just smiled and said thank you.  She wanted to share her fry's with him , but I had to tell her he could get fired if he ate her food.

When we got home she was wore out, but wouldn't take a nap. I had a feeling that the evening would be rough . Being so tired does not help a person with Alzheimer's in the evening.

My daughter Tracy called out to ask me something and Alice got the phone first. As always. She likes to talk , but not for long. Tracy asked her what she was doing and Alice told her she was visiting with a lady. Tracy asked if it was Jessica and she looked at me and said are you Jessica. I shook my head yes and Alice said you know Jessica? Do you want to talk to her? When I got off the phone I said Tracy is really nice. She said you like my daughter. Oh well to hard to explain I just said yes.

She asked my name later again and I told her Jessica and she said she was Alice Alice in Wonderland. Not really her name, but she just wonders all the time. I told her our mom use to call me Messy Jessie and she thought that was funny.

By 6:30 she wanted to go to bed, but does not like to go to bed with out Irv going in also. So I had the house to myself, Molly,Miss Kitty and Mandy. Oh Dave was there , but downstairs. They are early to bed and early to rise. Isn't that suppose to make you Healthy, Wealthy and Wise?  





Living Day to Day and Smile.

I came out to Alice's this afternoon after Bible Study.  She was in a very good mood.  We ate lunch and I played with their new dogie.  Her name is Molly and real cute.  she is about two years old.  I will get a picture tomorrow.  I think Alice enjoys her since Molly is always wanting to be petted.

My Sis loves to vacuum and she did it for at least an hour over and over, but not with the old vacuum, but a new light weight sweeper Irv got her.  lol The best gift he could have given her.

Alice kept asking when she should start dinner.  Irv said he had a roast on the grill and not to worry.  She finely peeled potatoes and I made a salad.  Boy she sure takes a lot of time to make them perfect. 

Dinner went well and then when she finely came into the front room she seemed to remember me, but it was getting dark early due to the rain and the changes set in. 

She forgot she was married and wanted to know where were all the people that was here, but were gone.  I am not sure what she was remembering, but it was just Irv, David and me here.  She seemed lost in her own house. 

No one can imagine how hard it is to watch your loved one change right before your eyes in a matter of hours.  Even minutes.

She started talking about being in the hospital, but not this last time with her hip, but when she was in her late 20's and was going through a very depressing time in her life.  Her memories had gone back many years. 

I went into the bedroom I sleep in to change into my robe and I guess I was not fast enough, because she got worried and told Irv that lady went in the room and didn't come out.  When I came out she was in the hall in body, but not in mind.

I could tell Alice was trying to figure out I was doing here.  I asked if she was confused ?  By then she was not sure that Irv was her husband.  She asked if I was his wife.  I told her I was her sister and Irv was her husband.  She said no I don't think so and went back in the room and asked him again.

He  had told her many times in the evening he was her husband and this last time he told her no .  that really upset her and she told me he was made at her.  I told her he was joking and she calmed down.

I could tell she was really tired and I asked if she wanted to go to the bed and she said she would, but didn't know what she could wear.  I asked if I could help her since I have stayed and knew where she had put her gowns and PJ's. At least I thought I could find her gowns.  She moves them all the time.

Got her ready for bed and she hugged and kissed me for helping her.  It just makes me want to cry .  It is so not fair.
Then again she said she was so glad we finely got to meet each other.  Me too.  She was glad God gave us the same mother.

Well tomorrow is another day.  I thought if the rain is not bad I will take her out to the store and then to lunch.  She really seems to like to do things with me like this.  I call it the Girl's Afternoon Out!  Good for Alice and good for Irv.

My eyes are getting heavy and I think I will get off the computer and go to bed.  For some reason I don't know why , but I get sleepier earlier when I am out here.