# I Suspect I Have Alzheimers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 18, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321 "2008-06-18T09:06:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/81 "2008-10-17T05:43:01Z")
I hope to hear more about your continuing adventures, in life and in the online games. Take care of yourself, Q.šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/82 "2008-10-17T10:38:48Z")
Okay, I have plastered together something resembling a blog, yā€™all, and itā€™s at [http://wheretobud.blogspot.com/](http://wheretobud.blogspot.com/). Right now, itā€™s just a cheapie-lookinā€™ thing with nothing of any substance, but I will begin writing stuff this weekend. This is supposed to indicate that I am pro-active, and interested in whatā€™s going on inside my body and head, and **not** the words of someone who has tucked his tail and ran (run? ran. Hell, I donā€™t know!) In other words, I do not plan to go gently into that good night, so Iā€™d say be ready for anything. If those times (as I am sure they will) arise when I get angry, Iā€™ll call those entries **ā€œINCOMING!ā€** and give them a different look. Thanks, and whenever is a good time the mods can close this thread. Bill ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/83 "2008-11-05T07:53:55Z")
Just stickinā€™ my head in for a second to let yā€™all know Iā€™m still among the livinā€™, and havenā€™t started learning any ā€œZombie Dance Stepsā€ yet! šŸ™‚ I have a lumbar puncture scheduled for Friday, and they are looking to find a certain kind of protein which causes temporal frontal lobe dementia. This particular protein causes aggressive behavior, you motherfuckers, but I do not believe that what is going on with me, would be classified as such. If anyone has a differing opinion, please let me know and weā€™ll take it outside, okay?:mad: ======================================================== Just kidding, Yā€™all! šŸ˜ƒ Truth is, I am scared to death, and I am bouncing through KĆ¼bler-Rossā€™ 5 Steps Of Grief like a fucking ping pong ball. This not knowing is really taking a toll, and I can tell the symptoms are getting worse. I can still carry on a conversation and write stuff, but I do blank out progressively worse in speech and have to re-read my words to make sure they fit when I post. (I stared this answer at 2 in the morning) ===================================================== Basically just thanking **ninetywt** and all of yā€™all for caring about me, and I wish things were different, and I was full of piss and vinegar, like some of my favorite Dopers, but I will persevere. My name is Quasimodo, after all, right??? Love You Guys Whole Bunches Q ---
**Author:** ![IrreverentTone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@IrreverentTone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IrreverentTone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/84 "2008-11-05T12:51:49Z")
As hellish as medical news can be, the waiting part just plain sucks. Good luck and peace to you, **Quasimodem**. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/85 "2008-11-05T14:08:45Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Truth is, I am scared to death, and I am bouncing through KĆ¼bler-Rossā€™ 5 Steps Of Grief like a fucking ping pong ball. Yeah- if Kubler-Ross thought those stages go in a progression, she was nuts. Wishing you all the best during this very painful time - I hope you get whatever good news is available. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/86 "2008-11-05T18:41:45Z")
Two tiny pieces of advice: Iā€™m certain youā€™ve already made your relevant coworkers aware of your situation so they can monitor any changes or (god forbid) unintentional mistakes, but just in case you havenā€™t spoken to your direct supervisor, now is a good time to do so (if for no other reason than to CYA in case of a potential termination). I am not unsympathetic to your situation, and wish you luck with your treatment, but Iā€™m also married to someone whose life depends on their resp techs beingā€¦ completely on the ball, and I can only imagine how you would feel if your illness impacted your ability to help your clients in a crisis. Maybe take a mini-vacation while your tests are being done, take advantage of the stunning weather weā€™re having? I would also strongly advise you to look into starting the process for disability. Georgia is well-known for its hellish approval process, and if things are progressing as quickly as you imply, you want to be well along in that process before you get to the point where you canā€™t take advantage of the benefits of the payments, or before your mental capacity isnā€™t at its sharpest to deal with the inevitable initial rejection (or two, or, in the case of a coworkerā€™s husband, three). ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/87 "2008-11-06T15:55:13Z")
ā€œThose who fail to plan, plan to failā€. Thanks for the advice, but I am way ahead of you: Last Will, Living Will, PoA, boss notified, AD Support Group, blog, disability, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/88 "2008-11-06T16:09:04Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > I have a lumbar puncture scheduled for Friday, and they are looking to find a certain kind of protein which causes temporal frontal lobe dementia. Does this mean they suspect itā€™s something other than AD, like Pickā€™s? ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/89 "2008-11-06T18:41:15Z")
Hang in there **Quasimodo**! Weā€™re all rootinā€™ for ya. _hugs_ ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/90 "2008-11-06T20:21:24Z")
> [@](#): > > b) Unable to count backward from 100 using the number 7 as my minus. (93 was as far as I could get before everything went ker-bloowie and I got all the sums wrong.) Iā€™ve never been able to do this. Ever. Why do they assume that all people work well with numbers. Why not standardize it for dumbasses like me. Name the 50 states. Sing a coke jingle. Some thing that doesnā€™t involve math. it is pure evil! > [@](#): > > This particular protein causes aggressive behavior, _you motherfuckers_, but I do not believe that what is going on with me, would be classified as such The italics made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/91 "2008-11-07T03:09:11Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Does this mean they suspect itā€™s something other than AD, like Pickā€™s? Yeah. **Earl** , that is one of the main things my neuro-guy is looking at, but from what I am being told, many types of dain bramage can be _eliminated_ just by examining the spinal fluid - they just cannot pin down the AD with this or any other test. But you know what? \*\*I \*\* donā€™t consider myself as an aggressive guy, and anyone who knows me personally would tell you the same. Basically, I just cannot seem to hold on to any kind of short-term memory these days, but I sure wouldnā€™t hurt anyone. Iā€™ll just be glad when all of the _testing_ is done. The Namenda is causing me to have a hell of stiff neck, and I donā€™t wish these side effects on anyone! Thanks for writing and thinking about me. The lumbar puncture is in the morning, so whatever. Q ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/92 "2008-11-07T03:19:30Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Thanks for writing and thinking about me. The lumbar puncture is in the morning, so whatever. Take it easy afterward. My dad had a spinal tap done and I insisted on driving him to the hospital. I was glad I did. He was fine but tired and a little headachy. (Funny story: He came to my work and told me that they had been running a lot of tests on him. ā€œThey say I have SYPHILIS!ā€ My eyes got really wide and I said ā€œDAD!ā€ and I could hear some coworkers laughing. It was lupus, though, not syphilis! :D) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/93 "2008-11-07T03:21:55Z")
{{{ **Quasi** }}} Hubby and I are saying some prayers for ya! Good luck tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/94 "2008-11-07T04:53:41Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > {{{ **Quasi** }}} > > Hubby and I are saying some prayers for ya! Good luck tomorrow. Thank you, Dear! Trying to sleep, just cannot right now. Give Mr.\*\* NinetyWt\*\* a big olā€™ hug tonight, and thank the Cosmic Biscuit for each other. Itā€™s gonna be okay! šŸ™‚ Q ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/95 "2008-11-07T05:50:17Z")
Itā€™s great to see that sense of humor is still going strong! I will always think kindly of you, but with a winky face in spirit! Thanks for the Dylan Thomas. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/96 "2008-11-07T06:21:25Z")
Hey, Iā€™ve got a family member having a lumbar puncture tomorrow, too! Are you sure weā€™re not related? Take it easy and let us know how it went. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/97 "2008-11-07T19:13:17Z")
Thanks for the updates and know Iā€™m praying for you Quasi! You have friends here who care! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2008, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/98 "2008-11-08T13:39:01Z")
I found [this](http://www.tampabay.com/news/aging/article879333.ece) article and thought of you, Quasi. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/99 "2008-11-09T19:00:09Z")
I am actually already on the coconut oil (Got it this week), and it really doesnā€™t have a ā€œbad tasteā€ at all, so I will order some more as I am already a quarter of the way through this 16 oz container. A ā€œplay by playā€ account of my spinal tap can be found on my blog: [www.wheretobud.blogspot.com](http://www.wheretobud.blogspot.com) Preliminary results are that nothing major needs to be done, but the other results (they took 9 tubes of blood) will take a while. I appreciate the TLC.šŸ™‚ Bill ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321/100 "2008-11-18T06:07:19Z")
Just noticed the updates to this thread and started reading your blog. Your blog is very interesting and it sounds like you have the best possible attitude about it all. I continue to wish you well. šŸ™‚ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-suspect-i-have-alzheimers/453321.md?page=6)