So, Where’s the Alzheimer’s Awareness?

“Living with Alzheimer’s is not the way I wanted to spend my retirement, however, I’ve made the decision to play the cards I’ve been dealt. Although the cards are not stacked in my favor, I’m still going to bet on the positive.” ~bpl

June, the sixth month of the year, the halfway point of 2017, the month in which we celebrate Father’s Day, my wife’s birthday and generally, Summer gets into full swing.
Oh, yeah, it’s also “Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month”, although looking at news outlets, you would never know. 

This morning, with Dallas, my faithful companion in my lap, my coffee in one hand and my Atkins Breakfast Bar in the other, I settled into my recliner to watch my Favorite Show, “CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley.” This show is my go to Sunday morning show for I’ve been watching it since it’s inception in 1979. My mother (Norma LeBlanc, 1929-2015, Alzheimer’s) watched it religiously, which is how I grew to love the show.

I was a little put off this morning. Being the first show in the month of June, there was no mention of June being “Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month.” I thought for sure there would be “some mention” of it, but it was nowhere to be found. I started flipping through the channels on the other morning shows and found nothing. I “Googled” the major networks and looked at their news feeds . . . NOTHING.

Before anyone says anything, yes, I am aware that the Terrorist attack in London took the top spot and wouldn’t expect any other news item to be at the forefront. My heart goes out to those who were injured and especially to the individuals (and their families) who lost their lives in a senseless manner. So very sad. 

But on this Sunday, like any other Sunday, those of us who advocate on a daily basis still soldiered on, screaming at the top of our lungs, (in a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn sort of way) sharing Alzheimer’s Awareness and Education. But it was business as usual. NO ALZHEIMER’S SUNDAY STORIES!

Instead, CBS Sunday Morning ran a story on HIV/AIDS, which I’m glad they at least paid attention to one of the diseases that takes lives too early. I’m also thankful for the advances in HIV/AIDS research. I can only hope for the day Alzheimer’s Disease is on the same playing field.

You may think that since I have been Living with Alzheimer’s Disease since 2014 (diagnosed in 2014 but according to my Neurologist,  probably living with it for up to 10 years prior) that I’m whining. Well yeah, maybe I am a little.

I won’t speak for anyone else, however, I know there are many that will agree with me that Alzheimer’s, in my opinion, has been treated like the red-headed step-child of the disease world. Although it is the 6th leading cause of death when it comes to diseases, it has been severely underfunded when it comes to research dollars. In the last couple of months, Alzheimer’s research dollars finally reached the BILLION DOLLAR MARK, and it was just barely over the BILLION DOLLAR mark and still far behind other diseases.

Part of the reason why? Alzheimer’s is one of the most misunderstood and complex diseases there is.
Imagine how it would be if there was a way to stop the progression, prevent it from developing or even cure it. I bet the $$$ would be flowing.

I just wish Alzheimer’s was given as much attention as others.
Take Breast Cancer for instance. When November rolls around, for the very first NFL Football game that month, there is pink everywhere. On NBC’s Today Show, the male anchors take part in “No Shave November” campaign.

Alzheimer’s has June 21st, “The Longest Day”.
According to The Alzheimer’s Association:

“The Longest Day is all about love.
Love for all those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
On the summer solstice, team up with the Alzheimer’s Association
and select any activity you love — or an activity loved by those affected —
to help end Alzheimer’s. Together, we will raise funds and awareness
for care and support while advancing research toward
the first survivor of Alzheimer’s.”

The Longest Day is a great idea, do something you love, in memory of someone who had Alzheimer’s or with someone that has Alzheimer’s Disease and raise money for the cause. But what about the other 364 days of the year. 
OK, 363 days of the year for we have the “Walk to END ALZHEIMER’s“. 

Professional sports such as Basketball and Baseball take place in June. Why don’t we tap into those organizations so everyone will see PURPLE everywhere they look. I give BIG PROPS to our Double-A Baseball Team, The Pensacola Blue Wahoo’s (farm team of the Cinicinatti Reds) for working with us (The ALZ Assoc of the AL/FL Panhandle) to hold an Alzheimer’s Fund Raiser called, “Paint the Park Purple.”  The event is June 12th if you would like to join us. (contact me if you would like information)

Also, Seth and Lauren Rogen do an awesome job of bringing Alzheimer’s to the forefront with their “Hilarity for Charity” event. (Hilarity for Charity® (HFC) is a movement led by Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen to inspire change and raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease among the millennial generation. Lauren’s Mother was diagnosed at the age of 55).

I still feel we are falling short when it comes to awareness. Look at Social Media! I can post, and others can post, all types of Alzheimer’s Awareness stories, photos, articles, etc. and get “some” traction, but post a pic of a laughing baby, a drunk person falling down stairs, an adorable pet of any kind, or a nude person and it gets “A BILLION” more likes and shares than our Alzheimer’s Awareness posts. I’m not sure what that says about society but I just know it gets more likes than the stuff I post.

And to make matters worse, when we, those of us who Advocate publicly, are asked to speak at Alzheimer’s functions, we are consistently told, “well, you don’t look like you have Alzheimer’s.” I know I’ve said this before but, unless we are sitting in a wheelchair, not able to do anything for ourselves, it’s hard for others to believe we actually have Alzheimer’s. After all, we are walking, talking and living a life that’s hard for society to comprehend.

So, what do we do? I guess, for the time being, we continue doing what we have been doing. I know through my own Alzheimer’s Advocacy, I’m not going to reach every single person, but if I reach at leat 1, I’m doing what I set out to do. Maybe that’s what it’s going to take. Reach 1 person at a time, one day a time. I guess I can do that because time is something I have a lot of right now. I may as well use it constructively.

Until next time . . .
PEACE!

B

 

Happy Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day being celebrated this Sunday, I wanted to pay homage to ALL MOTHER’S (and this means all individuals who fit the role of a Mother regardless of gender) who selfishly give of themselves, day in and day out.

(Just so you know, I wrote the following Mother’s Day Blog Post 2 years ago. I re-read it for I didn’t want to re-hash anything I had already written but I thought it appropriate to repost it with a few additional words and photos. The additions will be in italics and bold.)

Holidays. There are so many holidays on the calendar that it’s difficult to keep track of them all. Some of them are legitimate and some are just made up for some reason or another.
The one holiday that I truly believe is the holiday of holidays is Mother’s Day. The reason I say this is because, without Mother’s, none of us would be here. Sure, the Father’s had a little something to do it with it but the Mother’s are the ones that carry the burden.

In an effort to explain the importance of Mother’s, I went to merriam-webster.com to look up the definition of “Mother.”Mother's Day
This is what I found:
a :  a female parent
b    (1):  a woman in authority; specifically:  the superior of a religious community of women
      (2) :  an old or elderly woman

First, let me say I believe Merriam-Webster needs an update.
Second, I apologize to all Mother’s, both female and male (who assume the role) for the insincerity of the definition.

While I am no expert, and not a recent guest of a Holiday Inn Express, (hope you get the joke) I would like to give my own definition, or explanation, of what a Mother is.

A Mother is someone who:
– can soothe anything, no matter what the age, with a hug and a kiss
– will fiercely protect her family like a lioness protects her cubs
– praises their children for the good they accomplish but also holds them accountable for any and all of their wrongdoings
– can make your favorite meal impossible to replicate because of her “secret special ingredient.”
– can assume the role of sole provider when no other support is available or not given
– can assume the role of caregiver of a spouse/significant other, parent or grown child when that individual is no longer able to support or provide for themselves.
– rises from her sickbed to take care of her family no matter how bad she feels
– consistently puts others before themselves
– loves unconditionally

A Mother's Love

I could go on and on, however, I think you can see that a Mother cannot be defined by any one definition, especially by the definition provided by our friends in the dictionary profession. A Mother’s definition (can change on a daily or hourly basis or at a moments’ notice.) Defining a Mother is almost impossible because of the infinitive person he/she is.

In addition to caring for her children, most Mother’s are also wives, which involves taking care of a “bigger child” with a different set of issues altogether. Most of the time, that “bigger child” has no clue as to what his wife does on a daily basis because he is too busy complaining about his day, playing golf, getting together with his friends, playing X-Box, Fantasy Football, etc. (Just to be clear, I am not grouping all Men/Husbands into this category, but YOU know who you/they are.)  😉

(My Mother was a stay-at-home wife and Mother. She not only cared for her 5 children (all born within 10 years) she also cared for my Father who, those of you that knew him, could be more than a handful. She did everything that was asked of her and more.
As her own parents aged and then became ill (my Grandmother, unable to walk due to a spinal issue and my Grandfather with Alzheimer’s) my Mother and her sister cared for them.
Later, my mother helped my Sister take care of her daughter, Mary, who was taken from us in 1998 due to Cystic Fibrosis.
Then my Mother helped take care of her own sister Carol until her early death.

She was one of the strongest women I have ever known, but I see a lot of her in my Sister as well as my wife Shannon, who is now my Primary Caregiver. Like I said about my father, those of you who know me understand what a job that must be for Shannon. She is more than a wife and Mother, to me, she is My Hero!

So, for most of my life, I’ve been surrounded by these very strong women, women who have put themselves and their needs last for the benefit of the families they care(d) for.
I know there are many other Mothers in the world who are just like the women I know and love, but as usual, they fly under the radar, some staying as far back in the background as they can so that their “SUPERPOWERS” can remain a secret. However, those that truly know and love them, their secrets have long been revealed.

In my definitions of a Mother, one of the things I stated was, A Mother is someone who: rises from her sickbed to take care of her family no matter how bad she feels.
When my Mother was stricken with Alzheimer’s, over time she forgot how to do things, forgot what things were, but she still tried. She still had that Motherly Instinct inside trying to get out.

Finally, when she lost her ability to speak, she would sing. (She sang in church for over 40 years and she loved movie soundtracks, especially The Sound of Music. When she would clean, she would put that soundtrack on and just sing away as she cleaned the house.) Although Alzheimer’s took away her speech, she kept that perfect pitch. No longer knowing the words she would make up words or say la la la la, but I could recognize the song. I truly believe it was her way of saying, “Here, let me make YOU feel better by singing to you!.” Even if that wasn’t true, I don’t care. No one can disprove it so I believe it to be true because that’s who my Mother was . . . and although no longer of this earth, STILL IS!

(As a side note, in the last few hours of her life, I was the one singing to her. My sister held the phone up to her ear and I sang her a song.
There was eye movement as I sang as if she was actually hearing my voice. It is said of Individuals with Alzheimer’s, the hearing is last to go. My sister and I will ALWAYS believe she heard the music she so loved. A few hours later, she passed away. With that said, NO ONE will ever tell me the power of music does not matter.) 

Mom's Hands
(I’m not sure of the date of this photo but I do know this is the last photo I have of my Mom and me. She NEVER, EVER went out of the house without makeup on or her hair done, let alone take a photo with no makeup on so I didn’t dare post a photo of her with no make-up or with her hair not done. I wanted everyone to remember her how she was . . . BEAUTIFUL!
At one point during my visit, she reached for my hand with both of hers and we just held hands in silence, looking at each other, she towards the end of her Life with Alzheimer’s and I, just starting out. I’m so glad I was able to capture this moment and although we were silent, I felt we had a great conversation.

So to all the Mother’s in the world, regardless of whether you’re married, divorced, single, an adoptive Mother, a Father filling the role of a Mother, I hope your Mother’s Day is everything you want/need/hope it to be. We all know you deserve much more than just 1 day a year and hopefully, you receive it.

(I will never forget one of the priests at St. Agnes Parish in New Orleans, Fr. McCallion. He had a very strong Northern accent, but it fit right in with what we call a “New Orleans Accent.” Anyway, even to this day, at the end of his homily, I can still hear him giving his Mother’s Day wish as only he could.
” . . . and lastly, I would like to wish all you Mudda’s and Happy Mudda’s Day!”
It would get as big a laugh as it just gave me when I typed it.

So, in the words of Fr. Mac . . . HAPPY MUDDA’S DAY to my Mom, my Sister, my wife and to each and every Mother who reads this!

Until Next Time . . .
Peace!
B

Mother's Day

Part II So . . . You Think I’m Faking my Alzheimer’s Disease, do you?

Part II So . . . You Think I’m Faking my Alzheimer’s Disease, do you?

After writing the first post earlier in the week, I received so many comments here, on Facebook, Messenger, Twitter, texts and e-mail that were all very positive. I appreciated everything each of you had to say. What I came to realize in conversations with some folks was, I wasn’t alone of being accused of FAKING a Dementia-Related Illness. It broke my heart that so many other people have gone through the same scenario I did. Then, I received a phone call from a good friend of mine (who also doesn’t look like or act like he has Alzheimer’s). We talked for a long time and we discussed so many things related to my recent blog post. I knew then that I was going to have to do a Part II based upon the information we discussed. So, without further ado . . .

PART II (hey, that rhymed with ado! It’s amazing what a person with Alzheimer’s can do!)

I will start with a quote from the “Invisible Disabilities Association“

“In general, the term disability is often used to describe an ongoing physical challenge. This could be a bump in life that can be well managed or a mountain that creates serious changes and loss. Either way, this term should not be used to describe a person as weaker or lesser than anyone else! Every person has a purpose, special uniqueness, and value, no matter what hurdles they may face.

In addition, just because a person has a disability, does not mean they are disabled. Many living with these challenges are still fully active in their work, families, sports or hobbies. Some with disabilities are able to work full or part time but struggle to get through their day, with little or no energy for other things. Others are unable to maintain gainful or substantial employment due to their disability, have trouble with daily living activities and/or need assistance with their care.”

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InvisibleDisabilities/
Twitter: @InvDisabilities
Web: https://invisibledisabilities.org

When I wrote Part I, I had no knowledge of the Invisible Disabilities Association which is why I listed their information above. You should really go take a look!

I also failed to mention in Part 1 that I have Type II Diabetes and Heart Disease (3 heart attacks, 2 stents). I mention these 2 diseases since they are Dementia-Related Illnesses. Along with the genetics from my Great-Grandmother, Maternal Grandfather and Mother, (all who died with Alzheimer’s) you throw my Father into the mix (who died with Vascular Dementia) and he, along with my Mother, passed along the ApoE4 protein to me, the chances of me NOT developing Alzheimer’s were pretty slim.  

Even with all that, I’m faking. 

I’ve also had about a dozen surgeries in my life yet none of these issues EVER came into question from anyone. No one ever said to me, “You don’t look like you have Diabetes” or “You don’t look like you’ve had 3 heart attacks” or You don’t lok like you’ve had that many surgeries.”
SO, WHY THE ACCUSATIONS OF FAKING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE??? 

I shake my head in disbelief for I wouldn’t even know HOW to fake Alzheimer’s.

To put it plainly, living with this disease is no picnic. It really sucks.
The hardest part of Living with Alzheimer’s, at least for me, is knowing you have a fatal disease that one day will contribute to your death. However, you can’t think about it all the time for it’s really a depressing subject. So, you suck it up because the last thing you want to do is to affect your family in any type of negative way.  But remember, we have Alzheimer’s and we forget and, unbeknownst to us, we do bring it up, and that sucks even worse.

I think I’ve said this before but it’s worth saying again . . .
“I don’t try to paint a rosy picture of Living with Alzheimer’s because there’s nothing rosy about it.”
It would be an insult to myself as well as to anyone who is currently living with the Disease or who’s life has already ended because of the Disease if I tried to make it sound any other way than what it actually is.

“But you LOOK good”
“You just want attention”
“But you don’t LOOK sick”

https://invisbledisabilities.org


How many times have we heard this? I know this statement has been uttered to individuals with all types of diseases that can’t be seen. You see, when someone breaks their arm or leg, they get a cast. If someone cuts themselves, they get a bandage. If someone has surgeries, they have scars.

Alzheimer’s is invisible. It can’t really be seen, however, it can be seen through our unsteady actions, through the way we sometimes stutter while trying to find our words, or, during conversations when we start repeating ourselves.

Then, if they’re paying attention, they know something isn’t right. 

When I first started advocating, I actually talked about Alzheimer’s being invisible. I told my audience, “it would be easier if we all dressed in purple and had a cool-looking cape with a big A on it. Besides looking “hero-ish” people would then know we have Alzheimer’s.” (Based on that is where I came up with my Twitter name “The ALZ Guy”. I pictured myself standing on a stage wearing my purple, Super Hero-ish costume, and starting my presentation with my hands on my hips, saying in my best Batman voice, “I’M ALZHEIMER’S GUY!”
OK, now that you know I have a very vivid imagination, I’ll move on.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, you can’t control what other people think or what other people say. When it comes to Alzheimer’s or other Dementia-Related Illnesses, there is so much that is unknown, people don’t know how to react.
Sometimes they will say negative things for they think are correct or factual.
Sometimes they will say negative things because they can’t/won’t accept the truth that you have a fatal disease.
And sadly, sometimes they will say negative things just out of meanness or jealousy, you know, just because they think you’re faking it just to get attention.

The only thing you are able to control in this situation is you. People can say what they want but it’s up to you whether or not you let the words harm you. Don’t get me wrong, the words sting, but, probably the one good thing about those of us living with Dementia,
WE’LL FORGET WHAT THEY SAID . . . unless of course, we’re faking!

Until Next Time,

PEACE
B

So . . . You Think I’m Faking my Alzheimer’s Disease, do you?

So . . . You Think I’m Faking my Alzheimer’s Disease, do you?

Imagine my amazement when through recent conversations with some close acquaintances, I was told that there are individuals who think I am FAKING my Alzheimer’s Disease. Yeah, I know, right?

First off, HOW IN THE HELL DO YOU FAKE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE???

  • I’ve had brain scans. Did I manipulate them by turning my brain off, not thinking anything while in the scanner?
  • I’ve been diagnosed, not once, not twice, not thrice, but 4 freakin’ times
    by a Neurologist, a Neuropsychiatrist, and two Neuropsychologists (appointed by the Social Security Administration, who by the way, declines benefits until no stone is unturned). Did I fake not remembering how to draw a clock or another type of shape?  Did I fake remembering the 4 words I was told 5 minutes ago?
  • Do I fake every day not remembering things from 1 minute, 1 hour or 1 day ago
  • I’ve had my driving privileges taken away by my Dr. for it was determined I no longer have the cognitive abilities or proper reaction time to operate a vehicle. Did I fake that too?

BOGUS

WOW . . . if I was faking all this, I must be a pretty damn good faker to have come up with this diabolical plan. But wait, if I was actually faking it, wouldn’t that take someone who can think and remember what to do, day in and day out, so they could remember to keep “faking it?”

Could someone:

  • who has no clue what day it is
  • who cannot tell time on a non-digital watch
  • who has to have alerts on his phone to remind him to take his medicine, to eat and to bathe every day
  • who can’t remember, day to day, how to work a TV remote

Could someone who is Cognitively Impaired really carry out this plan?

Oh wait, I get it . . . I’m supposed to be curled up in a bed, not able to talk intelligently, not able to feed myself or go to the bathroom by myself, and not remember my wife and children. God forbid, should I be able to use a laptop to write blog posts that will hopefully bring awareness and education to people who don’t understand the in’s and out’s of Living with Alzheimer’s Disease that they only saw in their elderly parents and grandparents.

GEEEEZZZZ, I guess since I’m able to do all of these things, maybe all of those so called medical professionals, all 4 of them, plus their PA’s and NP’s, all with their Diplomas and Certificates and published articles are just full of shit!

Maybe they have a quota as to how many people they have to diagnose with a Dementia-Related Illness each month and they needed just one more to be awarded the monthly “Hey, You Diagnosed Some Poor Sucker with a Fatal Illness Who Wasn’t  Really Sick” award, and I was the lucky one.
Maybe they (all 4 Dr’s, PA’s and NP’s) deliberately lied to me just to turn my life and my family’s life inside out and upside down, all the while so they can collect a $35 co-pay so they have some spending money for lunch!
Wow, did they pull the wool over my eyes, or what?

FAKE

I’ve been open and honest about my Alzheimer’s life since the day I was diagnosed. When I talk about it, I don’t do it to make people feel sorry for me, to have pity on me or to call attention to myself.
If I did that, I’d be dishonoring the lives of my Grandfather, my Mother and Father, or my wife’s Grandmother.
If I did that, I’d be making a mockery of every person in the world who has Alzheimer’s Disease, whether they be over or under the age of 65, individuals who I now call a friend.
If I did that, I’d be purposely putting my wife and children through sheer, underserving, inexcusable, wretched hell.

Well, I don’t have the capability to do something like that. 

I’m not saying I’m perfect for I have many faults and I’ve made many mistakes in my life that I’ve paid dearly for, but I’m not evil!

So, for those of you who want to continue thinking I’m faking my illness, please go right ahead. You have the right to think and say what you want. You can’t hurt me anymore than what I’ve already been. We don’t talk or see each other so it’s not like I’m missing out on anything.

Since receiving my “diagnosis” I’ve become non-existent to you, well, except to be called a fake, not to my face of course.

So please, continue your path in life and feel good about yourself. It must be nice to sit upon your throne and pass judgment upon those of us, you feel, are just skating through life.

Yeah, I’m skating alright. Of course, I can no longer skate on my own (guess I’m faking that too) but I’ve got Shannon (and her family), Asheton, Bradley, Linda and so many others holding me up both physically and emotionally when I need it. Unfortunately, I’ve been needing their assistance more and more lately but they are always there. I know I’m fortunate to have them, and yes, I know who YOU are, and I NEVER take it for granted.

They understand what I go through every day. They see and talk to me on good days, bad days and all days in between, because they get it and I am so thankful for that.

Feel free to call them and ask them if I’m “faking it”.
Better yet, just call Shannon. She would just loooooove to talk to some of you.
Just be prepared though, she’s kinda protective of me.

Until Next Time . . .

PEACE,
B

 

Miracle on Main Street USA

Miracle on Main Street USA

mir·a·cle
ˈmirək(ə)l/
noun

a surprising and welcoming event that is not explainable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency. 

My most memorable, recollected use of the word “Miracle” was during the 1980 Olympics. Al Michaels of ABC Sports, with only 2 seconds left on the clock, shouted, “DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?” as the under-dogged USA defeated Russia for the Olympic Gold Medal in Hockey. 

There was a three-act play, “The Miracle Worker” by William Gibson based on Helen Keller’s autobiography, “The Story of My Life”  which premiered in 1962.

Of course, you have all seen the  Christmas classic (1947), and re-make (1994), of the movie, “Miracle on 34th Street.”  

(Now you know where I got my inspiration for the title of this blog post)

OK, enough about all of that.


If you haven’t read my 2 previous blog posts, you may want to read them. Doing so may give you better insight to understand what has been going on with me. 

In case you don’t want to go back, here’s a very quick recap:
I woke up on the morning of February 5th unable to speak. Not from laryngitis but something that was Alzheimer’s related. I spent the next 2 1/2 weeks struggling to find my voice but, was unsuccessful.

That should bring you up to speed.
In between the 2 1/2 weeks with no voice, Shannon and I celebrated our 9th Wedding Anniversary. We both made each other handmade cards and went out to dinner.

I’ve always prided myself on being creative and was very satisfied with the card I made for Shannon. However, on this Anniversary, she went all out.

I will share a quote from her letter:

“You are my husband, my best friend, the ying to my yang, my partner in life.
My gift to you this year is memories . . .
So, Brian LeBlanc, you made it through 9 years of marriage . . . What are you going to do now???

“YOU’RE GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!!” We leave in 7 days!
Being that I couldn’t talk, I let my tears do the talking. 
She knew what I needed and she knew where I needed to be.
She was hoping and praying for a miracle.

We didn’t tell anyone where we were going and being I couldn’t speak made it kind of easy for me to comply. I even had to remind myself NOT to post anything on Social Media. (I used sticky notes on my desk to remind me.) We wanted it to be just about us . . . a change of scenery to our favorite place turned out to be just what we both needed.

 

I should have known something was up when, on our way to Orlando, “Brown Eyed Girl” came on the radio. I sang every word of the song. I still couldn’t speak at the time, but I sang that song. It was such an appropriate moment, for when I was with the band “Mass Kunfuzion”, every time I sang that song, I dedicated it to Shannon. So there we were, rolling down the Interstate, on our way to the “Happiest Place on Earth”, and I’m singing to my wife. 

Sunday was our first visit to the Magic Kingdom. It was like re-visiting an old, familiar friend. Although we were surrounded by tens of thousands of people, a sense of peace came over me.  I know it sounds strange but if you’ve read my previous posts where I speak of Disneyworld, it should come as no surprise as to how I was feeling.

 

The following is my own recollection of what happened on February 19th, 2017, that “Miraculous Sunday.” I’m sure Shannon, with her crystal-clear memory recall ability, could fill in the gaps, but this is what I remember.

As it was nearing the time for the fireworks show, I said something. What I said, I have no idea. (Up to that point I was only able to say very few, single words. The rest of my communication was conveyed by using a whiteboard and a text to speech app)

Shannon turned to me and said, “What did you say?”
I think I shrugged my shoulders.
She said, “you just said a complete sentence!”
I thought she may have heard someone nearby and only THOUGHT it was me.
She told me again, “you said a complete sentence!”

Even though I couldn’t remember, not only what I said, but couldn’t remember saying anything at all, I remember feeling very warm.

Then the fireworks started.

I remembered distinctly what came next.
I heard the words, “Oh my God, that is so beautiful!” come out of my mouth.
I immediately turned to Shannon and she was smiling the biggest smile I have ever seen.
She said, “You did it again. YOU TALKED!”
I replied in a very tearful voice, “I KNOW!” 

Again, I felt a burst of warmth spread over me.
I knew something had just happened. I didn’t quite understand what happened, or why it happened, but it happened. We just held each other and it was like no one else was around. 

(the photo below was taken immediately after the fireworks while I was still experiencing unexplainable moisture flowing from my eyes. I think I was still in shock as to what just happened.)
img_5978

Why my speech returned at that precise moment still befuddles me.
Did a miracle just happen?
Contrary to popular belief, miracles do happen.
Shannon and I firmly believe this was a miracle.


It didn’t happen slowly, it was all of a sudden like a switch was turned from off to on. I don’t think I have stopped talking since then. When I’m at home and no one is around, I talk to Dallas. He’s an excellent listener and never, ever disagrees with what I’m saying.

For those of you that have known me for many years know that I love to talk. My family knows that I love to talk. For them, I’m sure it was sort of a vacation for them to not have to hear me talking non-stop about everything and anything. They are, however, thankful and relieved that I can speak once again because they know how lost I was without my voice.

Shannon and I kept the news of the return of my speech to ourselves. We told no one.
The reason being, we didn’t want to say “HEY!!! I CAN TALK AGAIN!!!” and the next day, or 2 days later, my voice disappeared again. So, we were overly cautious. Also, I didn’t want to give anyone false hopes, especially Shannon. So, we remained quiet. 

Imagine what it was like. Here I was, not able to speak for 2 1/2 weeks and all of a sudden, I could speak again, but I had to keep it on the down-low. So, what did I do? I talked to everyone in Disneyworld. It didn’t matter who they were or whether they understood English. I talked and talked and talked.
I think, by the time we were packed up and headed back home, Shannon was probably afraid I was going to talk her ear off. But I didn’t.
So, here I am, able to speak again, and “miraculously” feeling a bit more clear-minded. Maybe I’m imagining it or maybe it’s real. I don’t really care. 
I’m just going with how I feel.

 

Needless to say:

  • I will never forget how Walt Disneyworld makes me feel
  • I will never forget how Walt Disneyworld made me feel as normal as I could feel
  • I will NEVER forget the Miracle on Main Street USA on Sunday, Feb 19, 2017.

Lastly, as far as believing in miracles, well . . . Shannon and I are TRUE BELIEVERS!

Until Next Time,
PEACE!
B

Let’s help STAMP OUT Alzheimer’s!

The Long and Winding Road...

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.  ~Margaret Mead

I’ve always loved this quote. I believe Margaret Mead’s words. I’ve seen it in action – you and I do have the power to make a REAL difference!

This is one of those moments; your voice is important and impactful! I hope you’ll take a few moments to respond to this call to action!

Learn more about the Help Stamp Out Alzheimer’s effort in this piece from last March.  Alzheimer’s Semipostal Update: March 2016.

There are two actions you can take:

  • Leave a comment on the USPS site urging issuance of an Alzheimer’s fundraising stamp.  Take a few minutes and to leave a comment for the Postmaster General encouraging her to approve an Alzheimer’s fundraising stamp. The Breast Cancer semipostal stamp has raised over $81…

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And So IT Continues . . .

This has been a very long week + 2 days. That’s how long it’s been since I’ve lost the ability to speak.

At first, it was scary. I didn’t know how I was going to get through this. Then, my support system, comprised of Bradley (16), Asheton(22) and Shannon (I’m not telling her age!) stepped in, telling me I’m not alone in this, and that “WE” will get through this. They have kept true to their word.

So far, I haven’t received any encouraging news as to what caused this. One Dr. said it could have been the brain hemorrhage that showed on my MRI.
Another said it was the growth and spreading of plaques and tangles in the frontal lobe of my brain.
Another said it wasn’t any of those things.
So, I’m feeling very good about myself . . . NOT!!!

The one positive thing about all of this is the unbelievable support, encouragement, and love that pours in each and every day. It comes through texts, both facebook messenger and posts, twitter, Instagram, and e-mail. The organizations I volunteer for, Alzheimer’s Association (national and local) Dementia Action Alliance, Covenant Care, and Dementia Alliance International) have all sent messages of encouragement and concern. Covenant Care even went as far as sending (and hand delivering) a card full of encouragement along with a praline and pecan King Cake. (Don’t worry, I took an extra dose of insulin. I wasn’t about to miss out on that deliciousness of sugary confection. And besides, it would’ve been rude of me if they asked if I enjoyed it and I answered with, “I don’t know, I didn’t eat any of it because I’m diabetic!” My Momma taught me NOT to be rude.)

Anyway, back to the no-speaking thing.  

Being I can’t communicate, except for very few words, (Love You, Yes, No, and Pee-Pee. Just to clarify, Pee-Pee is for my dog Dallas . . . not for me!) I use a whiteboard and an app named “TextToSpeech”. You pick the type of voice you want, you type in whatever you want to say, and then hit speak. It’s very easy to use. Since I’m still able to form words in my head, I’m still able to type and write. I don’t know how, but neither does anyone else so far. I’m hoping someone, someday with be able to tell me exactly what’s going on.

On the negative side, I’ve had to cancel a number of my speaking engagements and I literally hate that. Since being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I’ve never had to cancel any speaking engagements.  Having to do so makes me feel as if I let a host of people down especially when it comes to Law Enforcement. I always enjoyed teaching them the Crisis Intervention Team Training, where I taught them how to recognize someone with Dementia. It’s important since more and more individuals, especially baby-boomers like me, are being diagnosed with a Dementia-Related Illness. I know it is being left in good hands but  . . .

I’m also getting used to not driving anywhere. It’s not the “not driving” part, it’s being isolated and dependent upon others. I’ve burdened my family enough already. Now I’m asking them to drive me places or to get me things. I hate having to ask but they never say no. They always find a way. I’ve come to the realization that I’ll never drive again and, like everything else, that will have to be OK. There’s always UBER, if I need to get out. I can use my Text to Speech App to tell them where I need to go. We’ll see.

I’m just going to continue to do what I do as best as I can. I will advocate through the written word instead of the spoken.

I will keep a positive attitude, especially when it comes to my family. They don’t deserve to have to take care of me especially with a “piss-poor” or a “poor poor me” attitude. They deserve the best me I can be and that is what I strive to do.

Some days are rougher than others. Yesterday I was in bed the majority of the day for I kept falling. My dizziness was at an all-time high. I figured the best way to deal with that and not worry my family was to eliminate my walking.  So I stayed in bed.

Before I go, I just want to drive home one more thing. 
Yes . . . I have Alzheimer’s!
Yes . . . I can no longer speak!
Yes . . . It’s a pain in the ass to deal with!
However . . . I’m Still Here, Living the Best Life I Can!

There are many others in the world who are just like me.
DON’T COUNT US OUT!
We still have a lot of life within us.
We still have a lot to say and we’ll say it through any form of communication we are able.
We will continue our Advocacy, raising Awareness and Educating about all things Dementia-Related.
Even when we are no longer of this earth, our words will still live on.

“I Have Alzheimer’s BUT, It Doesn’t Have Me
for I Don’t Allow it to Define Who I AM!!!”

Until Next Time,
PEACE

B