I Believe...

"LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WEATHERING THE STORM, ...IT'S ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN"

Saturday, April 16, 2011

SUPPORT GROUP and DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT

 Thank you for all the wonderful comments and birthday greetings .... my birthday was glorious!!!!

I'm happy to say David is doing really good AGAIN this week!     Wow, I just looked at the calendar and he's been stable for 5 weeks.  Who knows what tomorrow brings......I cherish these good days!!

I've held off  going to any Alzheimer Support groups;  I somehow visualized the meetings  different than what I discovered  last week when  I went to my first meeting.  The meeting was in a town 30 minutes from here, and  it was led by a very  knowledgeable  doctor and 3 nurses.   There were 12 of us in attendance, men and women of different ages.

There were so many interesting questions, answers and discussions.    My question,  is it safe for me to give David Tylenol PM every night to help him sleep?   The doctor said the benadryl in PM is not good to take on a regular basis for Alzheimer patients.  It can sometimes cause more confusion and blurred vision.
He suggested taking Extra strength Tylenol.    
I  started giving David the extra strength last week and it's helping him sleep just as the PM did.  YEA!

This week was his 6 month appointment to see the neurologist.   He's back on 2 - 10 mg of Aricept and off the 23mg,  our  insurance won't cover the 23.  (I didn't see any difference in the 23 anyway)....The 10 mg is now generic . 

The neurologist also suggested switching off and on with 5 mg of melatonin.

I'm so thankful to God for good days, spring weather, faithful friends and family!!!!

28 comments:

Donna said...

Oh, this is all Great news Delores!! So happy that he's doing good...and I'm glad you went to the support group! Answers are a Wonderful thing to get!
Glad your Birthday was a Great one!! Now! Happy weekend to you and David!!
hughugs

Helen said...

Things sound like they are on track ... good!

(smallest print possible: you have bedroom eyes in that photo, my dear)

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Looks like I've missed your birthday!!! So, here is a little birthday wish...a little late!!! Happy Birthday!!!
I think a support group is a great idea!!!

Unknown said...

Wonderful news all around! Glad you have such a malvelous support group, sounds like it will be a really big help!

Happy@Home said...

Hooray for David still doing so well. I'm so glad you found a good support group to go to. I think it's great that it is being run by a doctor and nurses. It sounds like a great place to go with the endless questions that Alz. brings about and also to talk with others who are going through the same thing.
Praying for all good days this week too.

Rebecca Nelson said...

Dear Miss D....First off~never in my life (young or old) would I be able to pull off that dress you have on in the pics. You are such a tiny little thing...again...you are so beautiful!

I'm so happy about your birthday being a good one and even more thrilled David is doing well. Yes! God is good. All the time.

Love to you~

Rebecca

Barbara said...

Wow, terrific news! I'm glad you finally went to a support meeting and found it was informative and not boring!

I'm so happy for you! I hope it stays this way for a long time!

love,
barbara

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

We praise GOD for his blessings and may he continue to bless David with good days.

Tylenol EX Strength is what we take to help sleep, its great stuff.

Diane at Crafty Passions said...

Thinking of you... glad things are ok I hope it lasts.
Diane

KathyB. said...

It is good to hear you have benefited from the support group, and this might be what others need to hear. Your post about how well David is doing makes me happy for both of you.

What a wonderful picture, you and David have had a very rich and blessed life. It is good you are keeping and sharing the memories now!

Pinky at Designs by Pinky said...

Delores, this is such good bnews!!! I hope David continues to do well! I am so glad you had a good b-day! XO, Pinky

xinex said...

What a lovely picture of the two of you, Dolores. I am so happy David has been doing well...Christine

Gilda Spitz said...

Dolores, I'm so glad to hear that things have been going well with David lately. I'm also glad to hear that you attended a support group and found it helpful. When my father was diagnosed, my husband and I found great comfort and assistance from our support group, and we ended up attending for over five years because all the people there felt like family. I hope you find the opportunity to attend again.

FABBY'S LIVING said...

I'm so happy your darling has been having one week after another...God is good. Beautiful picture of the two of you...you can see such a deep love in your eyes.
Thank you for visiting sweetie, it's so nice of you and for the lovely comments and on my spring table and dogs!
Hugs
FABBY

Carol Noren Johnson said...

Such a good idea to keep a journal. Glad that journal has shown five good weeks and that you can be in a support group now. I keep learning from you, dear one.

Hugs,
Carol

Unknown said...

So glad you are getting some support! We started giving Abigail Melatonin a couple of years ago and Chris and I take it nightly. It really helps!!!

Unknown said...

Oh, how wonderful to have five weeks of the glorious window. Every day I got up over the last month or so, amazed at the window. It's gone now...I allowed myself a time to be sad and then I thanked God for the weeks I was able to connect with him.

Thank you for sharing the advice about what medicine is good. I can well understand how the melatonin works. When my husband exercises I see such a huge difference for him.

So glad to I found your blog though Vee. It blesses me all the time.

Karen

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Oh Delores, great news sweetie, I'm so happy for the two of you, it looks like the news was a terrific b'day present for you. We can also learn about melatonin, it says that red wine has it and it's good to drink it in moderation...your blog is very enlighting for me to learn about this desease. Thank you for always sharing the progress of your darling...and thank you for coming by and leaving me such lovely comments, I also wish you could come over for tea!
Have a blessed Easter.
FABBY

Latane Barton said...

I am so thankful that things are good for you and David. 5 weeks... wow... that is wonderful.

And I am glad you went to a support group. I found it helpful although the one I went to was more just the people sharing their ideas and trials. We did have a family services person with us who was most helpful. I am sure you will get a lot of support from the meetings and the people involved.

I was afraid of giving Elbert the tylenol pm. I never thought that the extra strength tylenol would help them sleep.

I think of you so often and wonder how your day is going. Hang in there, good buddy.

Vee said...

It's nice to get some answers to your questions, I'm sure. Yay for five great weeks! Praise God is more like it. (Funny you should mention the PM meds because I've been known to take them from time to time and my sister, a nurse, just told me to cut it out. She said that there's some literature connecting it to poor memory, etc. So I'm back to the melatonin myself if I need a sleep aid.)

Vee said...

Forgot to say that I just love this picture of the two of you. I don't think I had realized how tall your Knight in Shining Armor is.

romance-of-roses said...

To God thanks for all the good days that David and you are having. Our only hope is that it continues this way. I wanted to wish you many blessings, happy spring and happy Easter.
Big hug,
Lu

Unknown said...

Dear Dolores,
Wishing you, David and your family a very Happy Easter.

Karen

rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com said...

Oh, Dolores....that is GREAT news!! I'm glad your birthday was so good.

Have a Blessed Easter~

xxoxoxoxoox

Carol

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Thank you for your visit and such lovely and generous comments sweet lady. I wish you a very happy and blessed Easter for you, your hubby and all your family.
FABBY

FABBY'S LIVING said...

Dear Delores: Hoe are you and your hubby lately? Is he OK?...hope so, sweetie!
Thank you for coming by and leaving me such lovely comments, today was my mom's day, we did go shopping and I bought soemthing...I'll show it on a later post.
God bless
FABBY

karen said...

Good luck with the new meds or the change. It might take some time to kick in. The picture is so great. What a good looking couple.

rosecreekcottage-carol.blogspot.com said...

I'm glad you had this little reprieve. Funny about the aricept: we never saw any difference at ALL either. And it's SO expensive.

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