Your post also made me think for a bit about my Dad - he’s always been a bit forgetful, but we’ve been worried about him recently. For instance, a few weeks ago, while home alone, he turned the sink on to wash his dentures…and forgot about it. He ended up calling me to borrow my wet vac to clean up the kitchen. :eek:
He had a neurological exam done. All he’s told us from the diagnosis is that he’s had “some memory weakness.” He says they are going to do a follow up exam later in the year to see if there is a progression.
So…I hopped over to your blog, and went back in time to your Symptoms post from November of 2008. While I’m sorry for what you’re going through…I was glad to see that he doesn’t even come close to most of the things you listed.
I know it’s not a medical diagnosis…but since he is seeing a doctor…I can afford to just feel a bit better based on random internet research.
I feel lucky to be here reading it, Quasi. I read your blog, too, and I feel like I know you. You seem like a really neat guy; I like your sense of humor and I like your taste in music.
Hang in there, Quasi. We’re not much more than a bunch of electrons on a computer monitor but we’re here for you and appreciate the way you are so forthcoming about your struggle. Also you’re one of my favorite posters in the WoW thread!
I am sure you meant it in the nicest possible way, but I remember we used to use that phrase to indicate “too much information”.
And after I write something like this, I have to say I wonder if there’s someone reading it who’s thinking, “Man, I wouldn’ta said dat!”
But I don’t care. I used to write for a living and back in those days it was important to convey the story from all sides, and, because I don’t know how much longer I can do it, it’s important still to let you know who I am, and this is the best way I know of how to do it.
So this is me, and although I wouldn’t show this (open) side of me if I don’t know someone, that’s not a problem here.
Note to Janis and Marley23: Yeah, I was looking for the slit which allows access to my member. (Don’t y’all just love archaic words?:)) What did you think I meant?
“Hi, I’m Quasi. I have my own club and here… is my member!”
Quasi, that *was *really moving. No one in my family (to my knowledge) has ever struggled with Alzheimer’s, so I’ve no experience with it. I’ve followed most of your posts and have visited your blog a bit, so I’m fully aware that it’s much, much bigger than just “where did I put my keys, again?” but I still lack that experience. Your post brings it home.
I’m sorry this is something you have to struggle with. I wish you didn’t have to. I wish we could somehow make it better - our just being here helps, I know, but it just feels so…paltry somehow, you know? I wish there was more that I could do to help you walk this road. I do think that you’re one of the SDMB’s treasures, though, so there is that.
Interesting that people around you keep their cars unlocked enough so that you could get into the wrong one. Hey - think of it as a public service! “You really should lock this, then, hey?” Perhaps you could be a criminal mastermind. Could be a new career path for you.
