Mary's Place

A web page about the life of a lady who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Name:
Location: Piedmont, Oklahoma, United States

I live in Piedmont, OK, with my Husband of 50 years who has been very supportive. We have 2 sons,David and Kenny, 6 grandkids, and 6 great grandkids. I enjoy feeding and watching the birds and squirrels. Before I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, I ran a Licensed Day Care Home for Infants for 15 years. I noticed I wasn't able to remember important things and having problems with my speech. I was experiencing severe headaches. I would get lost. I didn't know how to use the computer. At the age of 55, I told my doctor. I was sent for an MRI. which showed a large amount of shrinkage. I went to a neurologist who sent me for two days of testing. I was diagnosed with dementia of the Alzheimer's type. My husband and I were both in shock. I had to give up my job. I went to see a social worker. I've taken Aricept for 11 years. I can now use the computer and even do this web page. I also host a chat room for dementia patients. This is a very lonely disease. I don't want anyone to feel as lonely as I did when I was diagnosed (I thought I was the only one over 50 that had Alzheimer's). In 2006 I started taking Namenda. Also I was told I have a mixed dementia, Alzheimer's/Vascular.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

Congratulations go out to Jacob our grand nephew who is graduating from Western Kentucky University…
Thanks to Erin in Norman, Oklahoma for visiting Mary’s Place at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html and signing my guest book…
As soon as I woke up this morning I started working on my list of things to do for the day. I have gotten most of them crossed off now… This will be my last entry for a while as I am taking a break but I will be back… While I am away you may want to visit Chip’s journal. http://www.zarcrom.com/users/alzheimers/chip.html I did laundry all day plus all the things on my list to do… I called Dave’s sister Lucy in West Virginia and Chip in Satsuma, Florida … It has now been nine years since I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and Dave tells me I am still doing well most of the time. I am so thankful for that. I never dreamed when I was diagnosed that I would even still be here… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, April 16, 2005

This is one of those days when I keep thinking I should be doing this and that but that is as far as I get. Sometimes I will make a note of things I need to be doing and then I lose my notes all over the house… Tomorrow I hope to get up and make a list of things to do and get them done… When I ask the dogs if they want to go to the garden they know exactly what I am saying and we head off to the garden. I couldn’t tell if anything else was coming up or not today. Dave watered it good yesterday and it was still pretty wet… Kathy came down this afternoon and we sat out on the back porch and watched Dave and Kenny flying their planes… Tonight we went to eat Chinese with Kenny and Kathy and when we got home Kenny got out his telescope and showed me the moon, Saturn, and Jupiter. It sure was neat to see them… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, April 15, 2005

Happy Birthday Jr!!! Jr. is our nephew in Peru, Indiana...
This morning Dave took me into Piedmont to get a manicure. This will probably be last one for a while. It always makes me feel better to have pretty nails and besides today they were giving free haircuts and manicures for donations to our local volunteer fire department. So it was for a good cause. We never know when we may need them. I hope never… It was another beautiful day but a little windier than yesterday. Dave and I walked up to check the garden and our corn is up but our cucumbers were missing. So guess we will have to buy some more plants… We invited Alfred and Martha over for dinner tonight and I prepared the dinner all by myself. We always enjoy their visit… I am tired tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, April 14, 2005

Happy Birthday Bill!!! Bill is our nephew in Westerville, Ohio…

I slept well last night and I am not grouchy anymore… LOL
If I could pick a perfect day this would have had to been it. The sun was shining, 73 degrees and very little wind. The grass is getting green, the trees are greening up and the Monarch butterflies are out. What more could I ask for? Well there is one thing. We got our motor home back home and thought we could do some camping but Dave noticed that the windshield that they had replaced wasn’t sealed at the bottom so he has been on the phone most of the day trying to get them to get out here and take care of it. They were supposed to fix it this afternoon or first thing in the morning… Janey and Nancy called and I called Martha… I picked up around the house, dusted, straightened up the back porch, did laundry, filled the birdbaths and hosted two chats… Tonight Dave and I sat out on the back porch and watched Kenny fly his planes and watched the birds… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

I was up early this morning because we had a lot to get done today. First we went by the bank here in Piedmont to open up an account… It took longer there than we had figured so we had to leave before we finished the job. I was running late for my appointment with Dr. Hester. They were really nice to me even though I was ten minutes late for my appointment but I did call ahead to let them know we were running late. Dr. Hester checked my eyes and I have 20/20 vision in both eyes now. I was happy to get that news… Then we went to Tinker Air Force Base to pick up more drugs from the pharmacy. While we were on Tinker we had a quick lunch and on our way home we stopped to pick up our motor home and made a quick stop at the grocery store… I realized when we got home after I started feeling so tired and sluggish that I had forgotten to take my afternoon medication. I took them as soon as I remembered… We had ice cream with our supper and I started chilling so I put on a sweater but that didn’t fix the problem so I made myself a cup of hot tea and that helped… I called Lori, Martha, and Carole… I am really tired and grouchy tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

It was a pretty day, it got up into the seventy’s. I got out and made my daily check of the flowers and trees with the dogs. Then we walked up to check on the garden. The beets are coming up and so are the sunflowers. I stopped by Kenny and Kathy’s to say hello to them and got to see Heather’s new queen size bedroom suite. It is really nice… We found out today we finally get to pick up our motor home that has been in for service for a month. They don’t seem to hurry when they have your motor home… Dave fixed supper while I did laundry… I am starting to like this new time. It is eight o’clock and the sun is just setting… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Monday, April 11, 2005

Yesterday Kenny brought us some of his homemade fudge. It was yummy. Kenny thank you for sharing… Dave fixed us bacon and eggs this morning and we ate in bed… Then I got up and started my Monday. Picking up, doing laundry, pulling weeds out of flowerbeds, feeding the flowers, fixed lunch, helped with supper, and hosting chat… It turned cool today especially with the winds. The temperatures have been in the 50’s. You need a jacket to be outside and I am going to have to drag my sweater back out because I get cold in the evenings… I called Martha… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, April 10, 2005

Another windy day in Piedmont, USA but I managed to walk up to the garden this morning without getting blown away. The potatoes are coming up and peas are a good size now. Dave has been watering the garden today because it still doesn’t look like we are going to get rain… I got out in the garage today and helped Dave to get started cleaning it up. I mostly supervise but someone has got to do it. We did a lot of tossing of stuff. We didn’t get it all done but it is looking so much better… I hosted chat and later fixed us a spaghetti supper… Today is the last day I need drops four times a day in my eyes. Tomorrow is will be only twice a day for a week. The eye is still black and blue but I am seeing so much better… I called Aunt Althea and I think she knew who I was… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma.

Saturday, April 09, 2005

Last night I called my Aunt Florence in San Antonio. I only have two aunts left out of many. These are my father’s sisters… One has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. My Father and one of his brother’s also had Alzheimer’s. It must have been passed down to me. I sure hope I haven’t passed it down to my children… The wind has been awful here the past couple days. I got out and watered my plants in pots and the roses. I am hoping the plants in the garden survive all this wind. I didn’t go up to check on them today. Too windy and I don’t want to take a chance of something getting in my eye… I hosted the afternoon DASNI chat and we had a couple new people show up, and I helped Dave fix supper. Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, April 08, 2005

Happy Birthday Howard!!! Howard is Dave’s brother in Westerville, Ohio… I was busy this morning getting laundry done and getting ready for the maids. Dave was a big help… I spent a lot of time outside today checking on everything. The vegetables survived the night and they are looking good. I noticed more roses budding I ordered four roses from Jackson Perkins yesterday. I joined their Test Panel. It should be fun… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thursday, April 7, 2005
We had more rain during the night… Kenny came down last night. He was to have a stress test today because he has been having dizzy spells. Kathy called us to let us know he passed the test. We were all relieved… Dave tilled the garden and then we planted our bedding plants and the green beans. Josh and Heather came after school and planted the pumpkin seeds. We have several things coming up now. The only things I want to plant yet are sweet potatoes. Kathy is planting every thing else that we aren’t planting. I can’t wait to start eating from the garden… I picked up and got ready for the maids visit tomorrow, hosted two chats, and helped Dave fix supper… I got my nose sunburned while I was out playing supervisor at the garden. Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

We finally got the rain that we have been waiting so long for. The garden, lawn, trees, and I are happy now… I did laundry, picked up around the house, and helped fix supper… David and Kenny called… I called Chip, Norita, Sammie, and Nancy… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Happy Birthday Alice!!! Alice is our friend in Kokomo, Indiana...
The cataract surgery went well. They put me asleep for a short period of time so they could deaden my eye. I was awake for the surgery. Right after the surgery they put a patch over my eye. I ask for the patch because I am bad about rubbing my eyes. With this surgery I had no pain or burning like I had with the first one. I didn’t starve like I was so afraid I would after missing two meals. As soon as the surgery was over with they gave me graham crackers and juice… I came home and rested the rest of the day… I had to go back to see Dr. Hester at 9:45 this morning for a follow up. Everything was fine. I will go back to see him in a week. Dave keeps busy putting two different drops in my eye four times a day. I didn’t notice until I had already left the doctor’s office that I had a black eye. I never had that with the first one… We stopped by a green house on our way home and got tomato, bell pepper, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, and cucumber plants. Also got some Geranium and Petunia plants… I help Dave put the flowers in pots, took care of the houseplants, fixed supper, and cleaned the kitchen… The Schwan man came and we are all set for food for a while… I have felt really good today… Goodnight All Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sunday, April 03, 2005


Tonight's sunset from window in the study. Posted by Hello

Dave gave me my Vitamin B/12 shot this morning and I hope it kicks in soon. I also got my Fosamax as I do every Sunday morning. Then Dave made us a delicious western omelet… Yesterday I washed the dog’s beds and helped Dave give them a bath. Today I am washing our sheets. I want a clean bed when I come home tomorrow after having cataract surgery. Please pray that it all goes well and pray for the doctor to have a steady hand… I hosted chat and fed the roses and pansies. The pansies are so pretty and I noticed I have a few buds on the roses… I finished making tortilla soup that I started yesterday for our supper tonight… I won’t get to eat or drink after midnight and my surgery isn’t till 1:45 tomorrow afternoon. I hope I don’t starve going that long without eating… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Saturday, April 02, 2005

We put our clocks forward tonight. The time change doesn’t do me good. I have such a time getting adjusted to it all… Tonight Kenny and Kathy took us out for a Chinese dinner. Louise, Kathy’s Mother is here visiting Kathy and she went with us also. We always have a good time visiting… I am really tired tonight… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Friday, April 01, 2005

April Fool’s Day… Dave fooled me this morning and I ended up getting him back this afternoon… I have felt real good today. I ended up lying down for a short nap this afternoon, which is very unusual for me. I didn’t sleep that good last night and when I don’t get my rest I don’t do very well… Dave brought the mail in this morning and handed it to me. Ten minutes later I was asking him if he was going to see if we had any mail … I had forgotten he had already gotten it… I didn’t have to worry about what we would eat tonight as we went to Alfred and Martha’s for a delicious steak dinner… On our way home we saw four deer on our street… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma