An Alzheimer’s Caregiver Blog http://www.knowitalz.com Thu, 23 May 2013 20:36:51 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.knowitalz.com/community/caregiver/he-has-a-point.html From The Archives 2010: I had a real craving for my Mother's meatloaf this week, so last night I decided to go ahead and make one. Dad and I both love to have meatloaf sandwiches the day after, so I made an extra large one. After an hour in the oven, it was definatley not cooked yet. The meat thermometer was under 140 degrees. You're still not done. I mumbled under my breath after another checking on it a half hour later. What? My Dad asked. I was talking to the meatloaf. I replied. And I was worried about losing my mind. He said with a smile. At least I'm not talking to meatloaves. Sat, 06 Oct 2012 16:32:32 +0100 http://www.knowitalz.com/community/dementia/pops-poop-oops.html My best friend just became a short-term caregiver to her Dad after he was hospitalized for an operation. He is blind in one eye so she had to re-arrange her house to accommodate his low vision. She even went so far as to set his toiletries out on the bathroom counter so he would not have to search for anything in the cabinets. The first afternoon she walked into the guest bathroom to find blue gel shaving cream all over the floor, mirror, counter-tops, toilet - even the ceiling! She wondered if he had missed his hand that many times while preparing to shave; she became very concerned that the blindness was MUCH worse than she had thought! Coule he live a Then, her Dad casually walked into the bathroom and apologized for the stink he had created with a poop. I did spray some air freshener, but I can see it didn't help the smell too much. That explained it... He thought the shaving gel was air freshener! Wed, 22 Aug 2012 07:10:02 +0100 http://www.knowitalz.com/community/alzheimer-s/coming-or-going-6.html From the Archives 2009 Dad woke up in his own bed this morning for the first time in eight days. We had a WONDERFUL time on vacation in Williamsburg, Virginia. When Dad was getting ready for his shower this morning, he called out to me that he was out of boxers in his underwear drawer. They are in your suitcase. I'll bring them in to you. I replied. Where are we going? He asked. On a two week cruise to the Caribbean. I joked. How excited he must have been! It's nice to be able to give him something to look forward to each and every day - even if ! Fri, 25 May 2012 10:22:27 +0100 http://www.knowitalz.com/community/caregiver/funny-tail-tale.html FROM THE ARCHIVES 2009: Barring anything hilarious, this will be my last hemorrhoid post. Dad has been wiping with the medicated Tucks Pads after he poops in order to soothe his butt. Somehow he got the idea that he would try to Band-Aid one of the Tucks pad to his cheeks. He called for help, and I explained that the pads were used for wiping only. The Preparation-H creme was for fill in medication between movements. The Tucks was tucked in and four Band-Aids held his cheeks together. It looked like a spider web! After I performed the very complicated Band-Aid-ectomy, he lost a few hairs, and we both got a few good laughs! Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:19:03 +0100 http://www.knowitalz.com/community/caregiver/knowitalz-the-caregiver-book.html My Dad was a FUNNY man. If you are a longtime reader of KnowItAlz - The Blog, you know that his seven years living with me were filled with love, dignity and humor. Since he passed away in April, I have been compiling the funniest blogs into a book to help caregivers see the lighter side of caring for someone with memory loss. Please watch my video on KICKSTARTER (click on the link below) and pre-order a book if you like. I guarantee 150 pages of laughs! Kathy@KnowItAlz.com (mailto:Kathy@KnowItAlz.com). Thanks! Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:01:24 +0100