Stage 3 of Alzheimer’s – Fear
What can a pastor do when she loses an entire box of Chunky Monkey ice cream? How will Reverend G cope with the terror of Alzheimer’s?
The Unraveling of Reverend G
Stage 2 of Alzheimer’s – Questions
As an Alzheimer’s patient begins the journey into Stage 2, she experiences a small amount of forgetfulness, but nothing that impairs life. However, questions remain.
Alzheimer’s – Stage 1: Preparation
How does it feel if you know something terrible is going to happen, yet you want to be strong? Reverend G begins to face the possibility of impending doom.
When Humor Eases the Alzheimer’s Journey
When our children are little, we keep a journal of their cute sayings, their trials with language and their funny mistakes. We laugh and share these moments with grandparents and any friends who will listen. When our parents become children because of plaque-laden Alzheimer’s, we still laugh at their funny stories. These moments aren’t as …
A Valentine for Reverend G
“Wear your walkin’ shoes,” Chris spoke over the phone line. “I’ll be there in about 15.” How was I so lucky to have a friend like Chris who recently graduated into a boyfriend? Was it appropriate to call a man in his early sixties a “boy”friend? I suppose I wasn’t a “girl”friend either, with my …
Where Is It?
For three days, I lived on the edge of fear, hoping and praying that what I suspected was not true. I had searched through all my cabinets, even in the pantry and could not find my favorite glass measuring cup. Each morning, I checked through all the cabinets again. Maybe I had missed it the …
Discovering the Saints in Assisted Living
When I visited my mother-in-law at her assisted living, we talked about the passing of seasons. Besides the obvious winter season of November and Thanksgiving, we discussed the particular seasons of life. Her season now includes living in the beautiful and secure setting of assisted living where she is surrounded by those who help her …
Alzheimers at the Wedding
Throughout the pre-wedding activities, Mom functioned well. She attended bridal showers, listened to all the exciting plans and smiled for the photographer. But we knew our 85 year-old mother might create a few problems on the actual wedding day. It was my job to get Mom dressed, drive her to the church and make sure …
Researching Blueberries
Ever since I moved to this area of Kansas City, I’ve wanted to experience The Berry Patch. Nestled just outside the honking city and barely over the state line into Missouri, The Berry Patch offers fresh bounty from God’s earth as well as a respite for this particular farm girl. It began in 1975, as …
7 Tips for Caregivers Reviewed
When life unravels into Alzheimer’s or dementia, it’s important for caregivers to carry survival tools. As I speak in various venues throughout the metro and beyond, I share these survival tools.This week, I had the opportunity of sharing these tips with professionals at the Chem Council in Kansas City. With 43 million caregivers in the …