During the next two years that Dennis continued coaching and being Aquatic Coordinator, numerous changes took place in his teaching/coaching assignment.
Because I observed an increase in forgetting things and time management, I took a more active role in helping Dennis with a calendar of deadlines and detailed paperwork. That extra help seemed to work most of the time. However, at the end of the season when it was time for the swim banquet and awards, Dennis failed to present the awards during the formal dinner. I was unaware this had happened because I did not attend that banquet. I am ashamed to say I was so upset with some parents that I stayed home. When I realized what had happened, I questioned Dennis. I expressed my concern that this would make parents and swimmers upset. He passed it off as not a big deal because he would get it done. When I told our son what had happened, he said, "What worries me most is not that he didn't have awards ready but that he didn't understand that it was important!" At that point I knew I had to be sure he had reminders about even more details than I had originally thought.
For 30 years, Dennis had never had an assistant coach but starting that second year, the district hired a female assistant coach. To be honest, I was initially pleased with this addition of staff. However, what happened was the new assistant coach soon took over most everything. Without consulting Dennis, she placed swimmers in their events and planned most of the practice sessions. He expressed his concern that she was not including him in decisions. Many swimmers no longer saw Dennis as their Coach.
It wasn't long before Den was coming home disturbed and puzzled by what was happening and what to do about it. He appreciated the extra help -- in fact, he welcomed it. But it was after all his team for the past 30 years. That program was his "baby". Being the unassuming person that he was, he chose not to cause a conflict or raise questions. After all, he was still doing what he loved - coaching. Then it came down to giving him assignments like ISC (for students removed from class). Instead of caring for facilities and having travel time, he was locked down to assignments like this that were very troubling.
It was in the fall of 2003 when Dennis was not granted permission to attend the Texas Swim Coaches conference in Austin that the real hurt began. The assistant coach traveled to the conference and Dennis was delegated to stay behind. No reason was given. He had attended that conference for 30 years. When he shared his disappointment and hurt, I knew it was time.
It was time to encourage him to retire with dignity before something happened and he was asked to leave. I knew it was a delicate situation with him coaching but no one had approached me about difficulties that may be observed. All I knew was little by little his role as coach and Aquatic Coordinator had been diminished greatly. He had an incredible history, tenure and reputation with both high school and summer league swimming. I was not about to let him close that career with disgrace or sorrow.
Without Dennis knowing, I met with the Human Resources director. He was aware of the situation facing Dennis and the district. We discussed all the possible scenarios for retirement. Dennis was eligible for full retirement. In addition, he had so much sick time accrued that it was suggested he start taking that time in January with full pay and scheduling the retirement date at the end of that school year in May 2004. This was going to be a win-win situation for the district and for Dennis.
With that information and with a full understanding of how the district had a responsibility to the parents and students regarding safety issues, I knew I had to encourage Dennis to retire. Sometime in November 2003, I shared with Dennis what I had found out about retirement. I explained what was involved and that we would need to make a trip to Austin for retirement counseling to set everthing up. I made it even more inviting because I told him I was going to retire with him. So at that announcement, he was accepting and enthusiastic about us retiring together. We soon made that trip to Austin and finalized our retirement plans.
To this day I am so proud of how our district stood behind Dennis so he could continue working for that short period. I hear horror stories of people being fired and put to the curb. Looking back, I believe they did their best to honor Denny's years of service while maintaining a safe and orderly environment for students.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Telling the Right People
Along with the diagnosis came a great deal of responsibility not just for ourselves but for our family and our education/professional community.
My first thoughts were to let our children know. Our grown children were going to be a huge part of our support network so of course they were told first. In the beginning, there wasn't much to share other that a diagnosis and the medical treatment that had been presented. Many questions came as the weeks passed so we were all on the Internet googling for answers to a disease that was foreign to our minds. Such an announcement of course was met with silence first; then "are they sure?"; and "what does this mean?"
At the same time, I was making sure our immediate family knew of the diagnosis. Denny's younger brother and I spoke candidly about keeping this news from his mother until later because she would worry so. For my immediate siblings, it was imperative they knew what we were facing because their support would be critical for me to maintain a sense of normalcy for the months and years to come.
Then, as a school administrator, I knew I had to advise district administrators of this recent diagnosis. Since Dennis was the Aquatic Coordinator for the district, I first spoke with the Athletic Director, then a Superintendent I was close to and of course notified the principal of Denny's high school. What was expected of course was a letter from the doctor stating that Dennis was still capable of carrying out his duties as specified in his contract. That was not a problem and the doctor was glad to do so. With all that in place, it was the end of that school year 2002 so our summer vacation began.
The regiment of Exelon started that summer and of course it was not without its setbacks. Dennis started to lose weight and he slept more than usual. We spent most of our summer in Iowa that year and so within a few weeks I found it necessary to let his 80+ year old mother know his diagnosis. As you can imagine, it was a shock. She was sad and terribly concerned about what was going to happen. I assured her we were going to be okay and I would be taking good care of him to make sure he had the best medical treatment. [...even though at the time I had no idea what that really meant]
When school started that next year, we were at church and I saw some swim parents who were always so supportive and helpful with the Dobie team. I prayed during mass about whether to share this diagnosis with anyone outside the family but I felt these parents may be a great help if they see anything that needed to be brought to my attention. So after mass, we stopped to chat with the usual greetings and I asked the wife if I could speak with her privately for a few minutes. We walked aside as the men continued chatting. I shared the diagnosis. I shared that the district was aware and Dennis was doing well with the medicine. She gasped, "I knew something was wrong!" I didn't catch that thought at the time. Instead I went on to ask that she please let me know if there is anything out of the ordinary that should be brought to my attention. She did share briefly that she noticed little things that could now be better explained but nothing major. With that we parted and I felt a sense of relief.
Little did I know that sharing that information would backfire on me in the months to come. This parent took an overly aggressive stand on just about everything Dennis did. She did not talk with me again but went to school administrators with various concerns. She bypassed Dennis and she bypassed me. Den was constantly defending himself in minor issues that were of no real consequence. One day I was driving home from work when I called my son, Scott, crying and explaining how this parent had betrayed me and how she continued to criticize instead of supporting and encouraging the Coach -- I couldn't stop crying. Our son said, "Mom don't be mad at the parent! You gave her information she didn't know what to do with. We don't even know what to do with this information. Please pull over and stop crying. Pull yourself together because there are going to many more serious issues ahead of us. It's going to be okay!" After I pulled over there was a long pause on both ends. And then Scott asked if I was okay and said the words "I love you".
And of course, during the months to follow, a natural sequence of events lead to us sharing with neighbors and friends and distant family the support we would need to make this journey. We began to treasure the faith, hope and love that was part of our lives --- in a new way that we could never have imagined.
My first thoughts were to let our children know. Our grown children were going to be a huge part of our support network so of course they were told first. In the beginning, there wasn't much to share other that a diagnosis and the medical treatment that had been presented. Many questions came as the weeks passed so we were all on the Internet googling for answers to a disease that was foreign to our minds. Such an announcement of course was met with silence first; then "are they sure?"; and "what does this mean?"
At the same time, I was making sure our immediate family knew of the diagnosis. Denny's younger brother and I spoke candidly about keeping this news from his mother until later because she would worry so. For my immediate siblings, it was imperative they knew what we were facing because their support would be critical for me to maintain a sense of normalcy for the months and years to come.
Then, as a school administrator, I knew I had to advise district administrators of this recent diagnosis. Since Dennis was the Aquatic Coordinator for the district, I first spoke with the Athletic Director, then a Superintendent I was close to and of course notified the principal of Denny's high school. What was expected of course was a letter from the doctor stating that Dennis was still capable of carrying out his duties as specified in his contract. That was not a problem and the doctor was glad to do so. With all that in place, it was the end of that school year 2002 so our summer vacation began.
The regiment of Exelon started that summer and of course it was not without its setbacks. Dennis started to lose weight and he slept more than usual. We spent most of our summer in Iowa that year and so within a few weeks I found it necessary to let his 80+ year old mother know his diagnosis. As you can imagine, it was a shock. She was sad and terribly concerned about what was going to happen. I assured her we were going to be okay and I would be taking good care of him to make sure he had the best medical treatment. [...even though at the time I had no idea what that really meant]
When school started that next year, we were at church and I saw some swim parents who were always so supportive and helpful with the Dobie team. I prayed during mass about whether to share this diagnosis with anyone outside the family but I felt these parents may be a great help if they see anything that needed to be brought to my attention. So after mass, we stopped to chat with the usual greetings and I asked the wife if I could speak with her privately for a few minutes. We walked aside as the men continued chatting. I shared the diagnosis. I shared that the district was aware and Dennis was doing well with the medicine. She gasped, "I knew something was wrong!" I didn't catch that thought at the time. Instead I went on to ask that she please let me know if there is anything out of the ordinary that should be brought to my attention. She did share briefly that she noticed little things that could now be better explained but nothing major. With that we parted and I felt a sense of relief.
Little did I know that sharing that information would backfire on me in the months to come. This parent took an overly aggressive stand on just about everything Dennis did. She did not talk with me again but went to school administrators with various concerns. She bypassed Dennis and she bypassed me. Den was constantly defending himself in minor issues that were of no real consequence. One day I was driving home from work when I called my son, Scott, crying and explaining how this parent had betrayed me and how she continued to criticize instead of supporting and encouraging the Coach -- I couldn't stop crying. Our son said, "Mom don't be mad at the parent! You gave her information she didn't know what to do with. We don't even know what to do with this information. Please pull over and stop crying. Pull yourself together because there are going to many more serious issues ahead of us. It's going to be okay!" After I pulled over there was a long pause on both ends. And then Scott asked if I was okay and said the words "I love you".
And of course, during the months to follow, a natural sequence of events lead to us sharing with neighbors and friends and distant family the support we would need to make this journey. We began to treasure the faith, hope and love that was part of our lives --- in a new way that we could never have imagined.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Scheduled Testing
And so it was that Dennis was faced with countless appointments for medical testing. At no time during all the testing did we have even an inkling about what was being tested for or what the suspicious issues were leading to.
First appointment was with the neurologist who did a thorough physical exam and once again repeated a battery of questions and mental exercises in the office. Then Den was scheduled for a battery of tests that included: complete blood work, EEG, CT scans, MRI and PET scan. This took a few weeks to schedule and complete. Since Dennis was feeling well, we joked about how this was probably just a waste of time but a least we would have a great baseline for good health.
The final appointment was with a neuropsychiatrist in Galveston. Never missing a good reason to take a drive to Galveston, we actually looked forward to seeing the beach and having a relaxing day. Neither of us knew what was involved in this testing nor how it would be administered. When we arrived at the office in UTMB medical facility, the doctor greeted us and sat down in a waiting area to explain how the test would be administered and that it would take 3-5 hours. That was a shock! I could see the look of frustration on Denny's face because he was about at wits end with the "whole mess". He just wanted it over and behind him. The doctor went on to say that Dennis would be alone with him for the testing and they would take a lunch break returning early afternoon to complete the exam. He tried to lighten the mood a bit by sharing with Dennis that astronauts had taken this test and some of the humorous things about that.
Well Dennis left reluctantly with the doctor. I sensed his agitation and frustration so I had some concerns if he would be cooperative if they started asking that series of questions we heard in our doctor's office and at the neurologist office. I read a few magazines to put my mind at ease. When that didn't work, I gazed out the window at a beautiful day full of life and the bustling medical center. I couldn't help but wonder by then ... what was happening? What did they suspect? Here was a man who was in perfect health; who ate healty; who exercised; who seemed to do all the right things. He was a Godly man and brought so much love, support and encouragement to many -- as a husband, father, coach and friend. I was starting to be concerned but never expected anything life threatening.
After about two hours the doctor and Dennis returned to my waiting area. It was clear the testing was met with frustration and agitation. I could see on Denny's face that he was ready to "get out of there". The doctor explained that Dennis needed a break. He suggested a leisure lunch and to return in so they could continue. As we left the medical center, Dennis was clearly "ticked off". He explained he was tired of people making him feel stupid with crazy questions and puzzles. He was never one who was fond of card games, puzzles, word games and such so all this irritated him. While at lunch we talked about the testing. He expressed a strong desire NOT to return and just go home. When I said we shouldn't do that he promptly came at me with, "Then you go in there and let him ask you those questions and see how it makes you feel. I don't need this shit!" With much prompting and a few sincere expressions of love and concern -- he agreed and we returned.
All this testing and appointments took about 6 weeks. Then came the meeting with our family physician for a report and results on everything. Then and there it was all laid out. We were told everything on all tests was good. Great news! But then there was a pause. He explained that what they had been doing was testing for and eliminating any other possible explanation for what was happening. The neuropsych test had clearly identified a diminshed cognitive level to be associated with a person who has the IQ of about 85. Since we were both educators that was familiar but alarming to us. With great confusion, he went on to say that Dennis having a masters degree would be expected to have a much higher cognitive ability. Therefore every possible diagnosis that would explain this had been eliminated other than EARLY ONSET ALZHEIMER'S. [My heart raced. What? No way! That's not possible. Must be a mistake. Dennis was only 56 and I didn't see him losing his memory in that way.]
A plan of treatment was laid out in detail. Dennis would start taking Exelon. The first month he would take 1.5 mg per day; the next month 3.0 mg per day; next would be 4.5 mg per day and finally he would reach the optimum dose of 6 mg per day. The doctor explained he believed the Alzheimer's was caught early. He said not everyone could tolerate the highest doseage so that is why it had to be a gradual buildup. He asked if we had long term care insurance. I sighed and explained we had just dropped it due to financial constraints. We were numb with confusion so when asked if we had any questions ... there were none. We didn't know enough to ask a question. This diagnosis had NEVER crossed our minds.
As we walked out of the office, I remember Denny taking my hand and saying, "If this is true, it is you I feel sorry for because you will have to take care of me". I just gave him a kiss on the cheek and said not to worry about that. As we got in the car I was at a loss for words. The silence was deafening. I said, "Hey I have a great idea, let's go get a manicure/pedicure. Are you game?" He chuckled and readily agreed to get pampered that way for the first time ever.
This date was May 2002. Dennis was only 56 years old.
First appointment was with the neurologist who did a thorough physical exam and once again repeated a battery of questions and mental exercises in the office. Then Den was scheduled for a battery of tests that included: complete blood work, EEG, CT scans, MRI and PET scan. This took a few weeks to schedule and complete. Since Dennis was feeling well, we joked about how this was probably just a waste of time but a least we would have a great baseline for good health.
The final appointment was with a neuropsychiatrist in Galveston. Never missing a good reason to take a drive to Galveston, we actually looked forward to seeing the beach and having a relaxing day. Neither of us knew what was involved in this testing nor how it would be administered. When we arrived at the office in UTMB medical facility, the doctor greeted us and sat down in a waiting area to explain how the test would be administered and that it would take 3-5 hours. That was a shock! I could see the look of frustration on Denny's face because he was about at wits end with the "whole mess". He just wanted it over and behind him. The doctor went on to say that Dennis would be alone with him for the testing and they would take a lunch break returning early afternoon to complete the exam. He tried to lighten the mood a bit by sharing with Dennis that astronauts had taken this test and some of the humorous things about that.
Well Dennis left reluctantly with the doctor. I sensed his agitation and frustration so I had some concerns if he would be cooperative if they started asking that series of questions we heard in our doctor's office and at the neurologist office. I read a few magazines to put my mind at ease. When that didn't work, I gazed out the window at a beautiful day full of life and the bustling medical center. I couldn't help but wonder by then ... what was happening? What did they suspect? Here was a man who was in perfect health; who ate healty; who exercised; who seemed to do all the right things. He was a Godly man and brought so much love, support and encouragement to many -- as a husband, father, coach and friend. I was starting to be concerned but never expected anything life threatening.
After about two hours the doctor and Dennis returned to my waiting area. It was clear the testing was met with frustration and agitation. I could see on Denny's face that he was ready to "get out of there". The doctor explained that Dennis needed a break. He suggested a leisure lunch and to return in so they could continue. As we left the medical center, Dennis was clearly "ticked off". He explained he was tired of people making him feel stupid with crazy questions and puzzles. He was never one who was fond of card games, puzzles, word games and such so all this irritated him. While at lunch we talked about the testing. He expressed a strong desire NOT to return and just go home. When I said we shouldn't do that he promptly came at me with, "Then you go in there and let him ask you those questions and see how it makes you feel. I don't need this shit!" With much prompting and a few sincere expressions of love and concern -- he agreed and we returned.
All this testing and appointments took about 6 weeks. Then came the meeting with our family physician for a report and results on everything. Then and there it was all laid out. We were told everything on all tests was good. Great news! But then there was a pause. He explained that what they had been doing was testing for and eliminating any other possible explanation for what was happening. The neuropsych test had clearly identified a diminshed cognitive level to be associated with a person who has the IQ of about 85. Since we were both educators that was familiar but alarming to us. With great confusion, he went on to say that Dennis having a masters degree would be expected to have a much higher cognitive ability. Therefore every possible diagnosis that would explain this had been eliminated other than EARLY ONSET ALZHEIMER'S. [My heart raced. What? No way! That's not possible. Must be a mistake. Dennis was only 56 and I didn't see him losing his memory in that way.]
A plan of treatment was laid out in detail. Dennis would start taking Exelon. The first month he would take 1.5 mg per day; the next month 3.0 mg per day; next would be 4.5 mg per day and finally he would reach the optimum dose of 6 mg per day. The doctor explained he believed the Alzheimer's was caught early. He said not everyone could tolerate the highest doseage so that is why it had to be a gradual buildup. He asked if we had long term care insurance. I sighed and explained we had just dropped it due to financial constraints. We were numb with confusion so when asked if we had any questions ... there were none. We didn't know enough to ask a question. This diagnosis had NEVER crossed our minds.
As we walked out of the office, I remember Denny taking my hand and saying, "If this is true, it is you I feel sorry for because you will have to take care of me". I just gave him a kiss on the cheek and said not to worry about that. As we got in the car I was at a loss for words. The silence was deafening. I said, "Hey I have a great idea, let's go get a manicure/pedicure. Are you game?" He chuckled and readily agreed to get pampered that way for the first time ever.
This date was May 2002. Dennis was only 56 years old.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Missed Engagment
It was somewhere in February or March 2002 when I started noticing little things that Dennis would forget. There was a period of time when Dennis would misplace and or forget things. He was constantly saying, "where is my..."; "what happened to my...." and "where are you....". As a wife I found these things a little annoying and out of the norm for him so I just did what I could to help resolve the issues.
During this time, I was an assistant principal at a middle school. Dennis usually stopped by to eat lunch while I was on cafeteria duty. With our busy schedules, it was nice to grab a bite and remind one another of the evening schedule. That day -- I reminded him we had a dinner engagement at the University of Houston for a friend who was graduating from Chef School. There was a formal dinner and we were looking forward to the festivities with friends. I reminded him twice to meet me at our daughter's house by 5:30 so we could make it to the dinner on time. No questions asked and he assured me that he would see me then.
At 5:30, I sat at my daughter's house waiting. I waited. And I waited. I was frustrated because I made numerous calls and could not reach him by phone (he had lost his cell phone). Finally, we had no choice but to drive on to University of Houston at 6:00. I continued calling as my friend drove. Then there was a pleasant calm voice answering the phone at our home. It was Denny! He said, "where are you?" That question just set me off so I replied, "What do you mean where am I? I am on my way to the dinner and because of you we are going to be late!" He said "I have no idea what you are talking about." To that I sighed and said well just stay there and I will see you at home after the dinner. I couldn't believe it! All the reminders and he forgot.
Well that evening we discussed the confusion and he apologized in the midst of me fussing at him. I told him that I thought maybe he should go to the doctor for a hearing test. Honestly I was not being a sarcastic! He was a Viet Nam Veteran and I always believed he had some legitimate hearing issues from the big howitzer guns. My thought was that a year of working fire missions with the 101st Airborne were bound to have damaged his hearing. He reluctantly agreed (you know men hate going to the doctor) so that next day I set up the appointment so we could both attend.
On the day of the appointment, Dennis and I walk in to our doctor and discuss possible hearing concerns. Hearing was checked promptly and it was fine. Back in the exam room, the doctor asked me why I thought there was a problem. Dennis promptly said "oh she is just upset because I forgot a dinner date". Here I am in a room with two physically fit men and I am suggesting there is a problem. Feeling like a total fool, I blurt out the things I had noticed recently. When I added that Dennis is such a considerate person and I know he is not purposely chosing to ignore things, the doctor decided to just check a few other things.
A nurse came in and asked a battery of questions. She asked him to count backwards from 100 by 5s; what year was it; who was president; what was his birthday; he had to repeat back a series of words to her and so on. The more she did this the more irritated Dennis became. He was having difficulty and covered it by saying "this is all stupid and a waste of time". Then she gave him a sheet of paper and pencil. Her directions were to write down anything he wanted to. I thought to myself she has no idea what he could write. I knew he was frustrated! I knew he was angry at me for making the appointment! So I started to walk out when she said, "Do you want to see what he wrote?" I declined then she assured me that I did. On that paper it said, "I LOVE MY WIFE!" With that my heart ached. I felt foolish. I excused myself because I thought we were done and I drove on home (we were in two cars).
I cried softly driving home thinking I had just put him through that frustration and humiliation for nothing. Once home, I sat in the recliner resting and wondering what our conversation would be when he got home. How could I make him understand how sorry I was. Dennis arrived about 25 minutes later. He came in and leaned over to give me a kiss. He said "well the doctor must think something is wrong because he has scheduled me for some other appointments." I am not mad at you! I love you.
During this time, I was an assistant principal at a middle school. Dennis usually stopped by to eat lunch while I was on cafeteria duty. With our busy schedules, it was nice to grab a bite and remind one another of the evening schedule. That day -- I reminded him we had a dinner engagement at the University of Houston for a friend who was graduating from Chef School. There was a formal dinner and we were looking forward to the festivities with friends. I reminded him twice to meet me at our daughter's house by 5:30 so we could make it to the dinner on time. No questions asked and he assured me that he would see me then.
At 5:30, I sat at my daughter's house waiting. I waited. And I waited. I was frustrated because I made numerous calls and could not reach him by phone (he had lost his cell phone). Finally, we had no choice but to drive on to University of Houston at 6:00. I continued calling as my friend drove. Then there was a pleasant calm voice answering the phone at our home. It was Denny! He said, "where are you?" That question just set me off so I replied, "What do you mean where am I? I am on my way to the dinner and because of you we are going to be late!" He said "I have no idea what you are talking about." To that I sighed and said well just stay there and I will see you at home after the dinner. I couldn't believe it! All the reminders and he forgot.
Well that evening we discussed the confusion and he apologized in the midst of me fussing at him. I told him that I thought maybe he should go to the doctor for a hearing test. Honestly I was not being a sarcastic! He was a Viet Nam Veteran and I always believed he had some legitimate hearing issues from the big howitzer guns. My thought was that a year of working fire missions with the 101st Airborne were bound to have damaged his hearing. He reluctantly agreed (you know men hate going to the doctor) so that next day I set up the appointment so we could both attend.
On the day of the appointment, Dennis and I walk in to our doctor and discuss possible hearing concerns. Hearing was checked promptly and it was fine. Back in the exam room, the doctor asked me why I thought there was a problem. Dennis promptly said "oh she is just upset because I forgot a dinner date". Here I am in a room with two physically fit men and I am suggesting there is a problem. Feeling like a total fool, I blurt out the things I had noticed recently. When I added that Dennis is such a considerate person and I know he is not purposely chosing to ignore things, the doctor decided to just check a few other things.
A nurse came in and asked a battery of questions. She asked him to count backwards from 100 by 5s; what year was it; who was president; what was his birthday; he had to repeat back a series of words to her and so on. The more she did this the more irritated Dennis became. He was having difficulty and covered it by saying "this is all stupid and a waste of time". Then she gave him a sheet of paper and pencil. Her directions were to write down anything he wanted to. I thought to myself she has no idea what he could write. I knew he was frustrated! I knew he was angry at me for making the appointment! So I started to walk out when she said, "Do you want to see what he wrote?" I declined then she assured me that I did. On that paper it said, "I LOVE MY WIFE!" With that my heart ached. I felt foolish. I excused myself because I thought we were done and I drove on home (we were in two cars).
I cried softly driving home thinking I had just put him through that frustration and humiliation for nothing. Once home, I sat in the recliner resting and wondering what our conversation would be when he got home. How could I make him understand how sorry I was. Dennis arrived about 25 minutes later. He came in and leaned over to give me a kiss. He said "well the doctor must think something is wrong because he has scheduled me for some other appointments." I am not mad at you! I love you.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Blog Purpose
It has been a whirlwind day of information and learning to navigate this Google Blogger. It has been a bit overwhelming at times and exciting at other times. I have played with the layout and templates making a mess out of things but finally, I think Pam has taken me to a place where I can begin writing.
It is with some trepidation that I venture out with my writing. As an educator, I am keenly aware of how critical some can be regarding overall writing skills. I would hope that those interested in following my blog will look past any imperfections/errors to see the message that I bring.
I have created Resources that will link you to sites for the National Silver Alert bill, Silver Alert History (with a list of States actively participating), Project Life Saver, and Medic Alert (which I have known as Safe Return). If interested, these resources can give you further detailed information regarding information I will address from time to time.
After my husband's death, we donated his brain for research to the Sports Legacy Institute in Boston, Mass. You will see Dennis' biography which is posted on the donor page for the Institute. SLI is one of the leading research programs for studying concussions as they have impacted athletes (particularly football players). In my blog I will share with you what the pathology report indicated regarding Alzheimer's.
And finally, I have included a nice article that was in the Houston Chronicle. A good friend and neighbor contacted the paper and suggested they do an article regarding the challenges we faced as a couple. The weekly feature was highlighting various love stories. This interview and followup article came soon after Dennis had spent nine weeks in the hospital with numerous near-death events. I find great comfort in reading this now that Dennis has passed.
I don't have an organization plan in mind. I hope to start in the beginning (2001) trying to recall the various stages of dementia and the challenges/rewards that came along the way. And if all goes well, you will know why I called this blog 'What I have learned about Love, Faith, Hope and Alzheimer's.
It is with some trepidation that I venture out with my writing. As an educator, I am keenly aware of how critical some can be regarding overall writing skills. I would hope that those interested in following my blog will look past any imperfections/errors to see the message that I bring.
I have created Resources that will link you to sites for the National Silver Alert bill, Silver Alert History (with a list of States actively participating), Project Life Saver, and Medic Alert (which I have known as Safe Return). If interested, these resources can give you further detailed information regarding information I will address from time to time.
After my husband's death, we donated his brain for research to the Sports Legacy Institute in Boston, Mass. You will see Dennis' biography which is posted on the donor page for the Institute. SLI is one of the leading research programs for studying concussions as they have impacted athletes (particularly football players). In my blog I will share with you what the pathology report indicated regarding Alzheimer's.
And finally, I have included a nice article that was in the Houston Chronicle. A good friend and neighbor contacted the paper and suggested they do an article regarding the challenges we faced as a couple. The weekly feature was highlighting various love stories. This interview and followup article came soon after Dennis had spent nine weeks in the hospital with numerous near-death events. I find great comfort in reading this now that Dennis has passed.
I don't have an organization plan in mind. I hope to start in the beginning (2001) trying to recall the various stages of dementia and the challenges/rewards that came along the way. And if all goes well, you will know why I called this blog 'What I have learned about Love, Faith, Hope and Alzheimer's.
Time to Share
This is a work in progress. I have a good friend (Pamela Kramer) who is helping me maneuver the blogger so I can switch from writing a book to writing a blog. Be patient and it will be worth your time to follow my ten years of experience with Alzheimer's as a caregiver.
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