My Five years + with Alzheimers
My Five years + with Alzheimer’s
It hardly seems possible that I hadn’t even considered the possibility of having mixed dementia and Alzheimer’s but here I am now some five years into the illness almost 64 trying to reflect over the impact its had on daily life for me and my family.
But I still consider myself as being fortunate since I have an excellent doctor who had immediately put me on one of the best medications available from the moment I was diagnosed which I’m sure has had a positive effect in slowing down the progression of the illness, although personally I don’t feel its just due to the medication alone.
I’m sure that keeping a positive philosophical attitude along with my daily physical and mental exercise is a key factor in the early stages, we need to be a bit like a chameleon and adjust ourselves in accordance with our new surroundings and there’s no denying it doesn’t come easy for anyone trying to adapt themselves to a new way of life and the sudden changes in daily routine but if we want to survive and maintain some quality in life ‘then adapt we must’ it brings to mind the old saying ‘be like a willow tree and bend with the wind least you break’ which is not so easy as I live in Indonesia where people have no idea what Alzheimer’s is or the effects it has on a persons life unto there eyes it’s a curse or black magic that brings stigma to the family and a boundary I’m still trying to conquer this isn’t helped by not having any local Alzheimer’s society, day centers, or any type of support groups for either my wife or myself which has meant a case of literally having to go it alone, which has demanded a great deal of self motivation in fighting the illness from my own point of view whilst also trying to be a counselor to my dear wife…
It’s not only meant change for me but also for my wife who relinquished her shop to take care of me which has meant some financial sacrifice for us all but she says love and my life mean more to her than money and if there is a positive side to having Alzheimer’s then through my eyes it’s the fact that we now spend more time together than in the past.
Every day we go for a walk together along the road outside of our house even though it’s not exactly the best walking ground, she makes sure that I do my daily ridding on my exercise bike and that I keep to a balanced diet and remembers my medications for me, when I have bad days or sleepless nights which now seem to be more frequent she never complains even though I can sometimes fly into a rage and become verbally aggressive at what must appear as being inconsequential problems and then just walk away seeking solitude within my own confused thoughts, its as though my days are getting longer as my comprehension, awareness and tolerance are becoming shorter.
Over the past few years I’ve seen my communication skills diminish but even so I maintain my daily brain activity and stimulation by using the computer and formulating my own word puzzles, sending E-mails and communicating over the instant messenger with a close friend in one of the UK Alzheimer’s society branches, and via the internet with the UK Alzheimer’s society, Alzheimer’s Talking Point, Alzheimer’s Youtube, and now Facebook where I am a constant contributor with articles and poems relating to the effects of the illness from what I call both perspectives one being from a person who has the illness and the other from the spouses point of view.
My soul aim is in trying to broaden the awareness of this debilitating condition whilst also trying to motivate other people with the illness not to give up the fight and to keep the brain as active as possible, I also still try to keep some of my old working skills going by making my own bread or decorating a cake as it gives me a great sense of achievement and satisfaction, none of which comes easy now with the constant noses around me and at the best of times I get very confused, agitated and temperamental but the important thing for me is in keeping active and the drive of self motivation on going as I’m determined to slow down the affects of the illness for as long as I can to avoid it from totally eclipsing my brain, although I know I won’t win the battle, but that’s not going to deter me from trying...
Barry Pankhurst
(Alzheimer’s has become my mother of intent in broadening its awareness)
http://www.simplesite.com/BarrysAlzheimers
It hardly seems possible that I hadn’t even considered the possibility of having mixed dementia and Alzheimer’s but here I am now some five years into the illness almost 64 trying to reflect over the impact its had on daily life for me and my family.
But I still consider myself as being fortunate since I have an excellent doctor who had immediately put me on one of the best medications available from the moment I was diagnosed which I’m sure has had a positive effect in slowing down the progression of the illness, although personally I don’t feel its just due to the medication alone.
I’m sure that keeping a positive philosophical attitude along with my daily physical and mental exercise is a key factor in the early stages, we need to be a bit like a chameleon and adjust ourselves in accordance with our new surroundings and there’s no denying it doesn’t come easy for anyone trying to adapt themselves to a new way of life and the sudden changes in daily routine but if we want to survive and maintain some quality in life ‘then adapt we must’ it brings to mind the old saying ‘be like a willow tree and bend with the wind least you break’ which is not so easy as I live in Indonesia where people have no idea what Alzheimer’s is or the effects it has on a persons life unto there eyes it’s a curse or black magic that brings stigma to the family and a boundary I’m still trying to conquer this isn’t helped by not having any local Alzheimer’s society, day centers, or any type of support groups for either my wife or myself which has meant a case of literally having to go it alone, which has demanded a great deal of self motivation in fighting the illness from my own point of view whilst also trying to be a counselor to my dear wife…
It’s not only meant change for me but also for my wife who relinquished her shop to take care of me which has meant some financial sacrifice for us all but she says love and my life mean more to her than money and if there is a positive side to having Alzheimer’s then through my eyes it’s the fact that we now spend more time together than in the past.
Every day we go for a walk together along the road outside of our house even though it’s not exactly the best walking ground, she makes sure that I do my daily ridding on my exercise bike and that I keep to a balanced diet and remembers my medications for me, when I have bad days or sleepless nights which now seem to be more frequent she never complains even though I can sometimes fly into a rage and become verbally aggressive at what must appear as being inconsequential problems and then just walk away seeking solitude within my own confused thoughts, its as though my days are getting longer as my comprehension, awareness and tolerance are becoming shorter.
Over the past few years I’ve seen my communication skills diminish but even so I maintain my daily brain activity and stimulation by using the computer and formulating my own word puzzles, sending E-mails and communicating over the instant messenger with a close friend in one of the UK Alzheimer’s society branches, and via the internet with the UK Alzheimer’s society, Alzheimer’s Talking Point, Alzheimer’s Youtube, and now Facebook where I am a constant contributor with articles and poems relating to the effects of the illness from what I call both perspectives one being from a person who has the illness and the other from the spouses point of view.
My soul aim is in trying to broaden the awareness of this debilitating condition whilst also trying to motivate other people with the illness not to give up the fight and to keep the brain as active as possible, I also still try to keep some of my old working skills going by making my own bread or decorating a cake as it gives me a great sense of achievement and satisfaction, none of which comes easy now with the constant noses around me and at the best of times I get very confused, agitated and temperamental but the important thing for me is in keeping active and the drive of self motivation on going as I’m determined to slow down the affects of the illness for as long as I can to avoid it from totally eclipsing my brain, although I know I won’t win the battle, but that’s not going to deter me from trying...
Barry Pankhurst
(Alzheimer’s has become my mother of intent in broadening its awareness)
http://www.simplesite.com/BarrysAlzheimers
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