Alzheimer's Mad Cow Disease And Buying Herbs Info

You can buy a pound of organic herb for around the same price as one or two bottles of store bought herbs in capsule form. You'll get a pound of better, fresher more potent organic herb instead of 3 ounces of lesser quality.

If you do get encapsulated herb in a bottle try to get vegetable based capsules. Look for "Suitable for vegetarians" or "Vegan" or something similar on the label. I want my capsules from a plant source. This goes for herbs or supplements or vitamins.

However I don't take regular so called vitamins or minerals. I use the best I use SuperFood Plus from Dr Schulze's American Botanical Pharmacy. That's my number one choice. Any one that knows me can tell you I don't recommend much. I'm very critical of health related products. If I mention something it's worth at least a look.

Not made from animal scraps or mineral oil. I'm concerned with a recent disease in cattle and other farm animals in the animal based capsules. Mineral oil blocks absorption in the digestive track. Specifically Mad Cow Disease in cattle and Scrapie in sheep and goats.

Mad Cow disease a.k.a. BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
Scrapie a.k.a. TSE (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy)
Found in cats in Europe (Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy)
To mention a few.

In people in the US the official agencies call it -
variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (vCJD) and now they added
new variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (nvCJD)

The human form is a Spongiform Encephalopathy but you notice they have been very careful not to include it in the name.

Are they the same disease but given different names because they are in different animals. I'll tell you more of this possible connection in a future post. These diseases and many more in the same class raise well deserved concern. I am very suspicious of pathogens that jump across multiple species all at once.

This is something I don't feel happens in nature by it's self. Maybe from one animal to us or another animal but when it jumps all species all at once a red warning flag goes up. Know what I mean. Some one has been peeing in the gene pool.

If you want to use herbs in capsules there are some people doing this manually so you don't get the flow agents. If you come across an offer for this from one of the herb suppliers you still want organic or wild-crafted herb and please look for or request the vegetable based capsules.

The other option is to buy vegetable based capsules and fill them yourself. You may find you can buy capsules in bulk also. Usually in multiple of 1000 caps. When I do this I get the best prices buying from the same place I get herbs. I have found it much cheaper than buying direct from the companies that make the capsules. I buy herbs from several companies.

The standard sizes of capsules would be "0" or the larger "00". Most herbs you by at the store are in the "0" size capsule. Personally I prefer the "00" size. When you buy bulk everything becomes so cheap there is no reason to skimp.

When you fill capsules by hand it takes time but saves money. To make the job easier you can get a cheap tool that makes the process easier and faster. It will keep your hand from cramping up if your going to fill hundreds of capsules in one sitting.

I started doing this with the Ginkgo biloba for my mother to help with her Alzheimer's disease. It worked better that the stuff we were buying in the stores. Not only does it help with memory it but got rid on the mood swings and bad attitude she occasionally would bless us with.

The one I use has a base made up of 4 parts. A base that has little rounded indentations to cup the bottom of the capsule. In each corner is a vertical peg that you side the next layer onto. Also on the base are 2 more pegs. one centered on opposite ends of the base.

These pegs are for 2 small rectangles. When turned one way the support the filling platform and when turned 90 degrees allow the platform to sit on the base.

The platform has 50 holes that align with the indentations of the base. You start with the platform up. Place a capsule in each hole. The top of the capsule is a hair lower than the platform.

Then spoon some herb on the platform. They give you a card to move the herb around and fill the capsules about the size of a credit card. When all the holes are filled you take the tamper that have one peg for each capsule and press it into all the capsules at the same time. Then repeat until you can't get any more to compress and the capsules are full.

Now you just rotate the pieces that support the platform and let it lower. The filled capsules are now about half exposed but still being held upright. Now place the caps on the capsules and your done. The one I use is called Cap-M-Quik. I have both the "0" and "00" sizes. I have tried others but I like the Cap-M-Quik the best. Fast and easy to use.

I usually take the smaller cap side before I cap the filled capsules and scoop up a little more herb in them before placing the on the filled half. That way I get more herb in them and the capsules are very firm if you squeeze them between to fingers.

When I have taken store bought bottled capsules and squeezed them they seem to have a different amount herb in each capsule. Most of them are only putting half as much herb in their capsules than will fit. This makes you think your getting more than you think. It's a visual deception.

It's just like everything else we buy. They put it in a big container and then add that the contents are by weight not buy volume. Content may have settled. I don't believe that. It's to make you think your getting more when your not.

Like when they started putting 14 ounces coffee in the same size can they previously put 16 ounces in. Then they kept the price the same and people thought they were still getting 16 ounces. Or when you buy an extra large box of breakfast cereal and when you open it there is about what should be in a medium size box. One top of that the bigger container costs you more, takes more space to store and makes more trash.

When you buy herbs in bulk you can usually get it in several forms. Powdered form is what you would get if you planned to put it in capsules. I also get powdered form when the herb is extremely hard like Kola nut when making a tincture. Some herbs are just so hard they will destroy consumer grade blenders, food processors and mills.

They sell chopped which is usually used when making teas. You can get ginkgo biloba in whole leaf. Both dried and at certain times of the year you may be able to buy fresh.

The shipping on fresh is a lot more because it's shipped next day delivery and may have ice packs included. The fresh herbs are often shipped by a certain carrier. This is because they have a controlled environment from the pickup to delivery.

Your herbs don't bake in a hot truck or transit hub on its way to you. Even if shipped when it's cold out you want to know your herbs won't get jammed up against the trucks heater.

This is usually not your choice. The herbal companies that you want to buy from will always take care. They want repeat business. They make sure you get your fresh herb fast and in great shape. Every time I have ordered fresh herbs they looked like I just went out and picked them.

A quick word about bottled herbs bought in health food stores and wellness centers and any other type of stores that carry a line of herbal products. The buyer beware. If your buying a bottle of capsules or herbal tea know that they have been around sitting on the self and in the warehouse for a while. I never buy generic or store brand.

With that said if that was all I had available to me I would use it. The stuff still works. Maybe not as quick or as well but it's better than nothing. Always buy the best you can get or the best you can afford. Don't give up just because you can't have the best.

Also most of the commercially bottled capsules contain flow agents. These are added so the powdered herb flows through the automated equipment that puts the herb in the capsules. Check the label and you will see these chemicals. Still look for organic if you can. I have seen hand packed capsules available through some of the bulk herb sellers.

Know that these companies are in herbals to make a profit and they may be buying cheap pesticide treated herbs for 50 cents a pound to fill their containers. Pesticides lower the immune system. These cheaper herbs may not have the full range of compounds the higher quality herbs have and they may be weaker.

When you buy bulk you have the advantage of seeing what your getting. You see the condition it is in. You can actually smell and taste it. You can see that it isn't half rotten or have mold growing all over it. You can send it back.

After you use herbs for a while you will evening be able to make a good appraisal of its quality. You will even be able to determine if dried herbs are this years crop or last years crop.

Alzheimer's Urinary Problems Need Help Can't Pee?

After I posted on Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) I noticed this was a topic of reader concern and I needed to give my favorite trusted source to these herbals. I must tell you I have personally used this source and have trusted the person behind it with my life.

One search I saw was for - "alzheimer's no urine for days". This caused great concern in me and prompted the writing of this. The person behind this search didn't leave a comment and I don't know who they where. Any time the flow of urine is greatly reduced with out reason or it becomes concentrated (very dark in color and has a very strong odor not because of something you ate) or stops completely needs attention now.

There are other things you must check out. Are they drinking water or other liquids. There are other things that help but using herbs I get the best results all the time. You need to get a person that isn't peeing to pee before it starts creating damage. The first day I would be concerned. The second day I would start to freak out.

But make sure they aren't sneaking off to the bathroom and going when you don't know it. Or peeing somewhere else like a waste basket or other container and pouring it out or peeing onto a towel and hiding it. I speak from experience.

The American Botanical Pharmacy is where I buy my pre-made tinctures and tea. You will not find this brand in your local store. I you need it fast they have shipping available to get it to you fast. I try to always have at least one bottle on hand.

For Urinary Tract Infection I used their Kidney/Bladder formula. You can read how I use it in my October post titled - "Alzheimer's UTI herbs Vs Doctors" starting at paragraph 14. The paragraph starts with "This stuff doesn't taste bad so". Just look in the right sidebar for Blog Archive. Click on October and you will see it.

This K-B formula contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley leaf and root. These herbs are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, diuretic and anti-inflammatory.

This will disinfect the Urinary Tract and cause easy urination and plenty of it. I like it because it works and fast. It has never failed me.

They also have a K-B (Kidney/Bladder) Tea that has herbs that have the identical action as the formula plus a couple more that aid in dissolving kidney stones and renal calculi. Hydrangea root and Gravel root.

The tea contains - Uva Ursi leaf, Juniper berry, Corn silk, Horsetail herb, Burdock root and seed, Parsley root, Goldenrod herb, Hydrangea root, Gravel root, Mashmallow root, Orange peel and Peppermint leaf.

American Botanical Pharmacy contact info -

On-line at http://www.herbdoc.com

Phone - 1-800-HERBDOC which is 1-800-437-2362

Call center hours -

Monday - Saturday 6 am - 7 pm (PST) Sunday 7 am - 3 pm (PST)

They also have very good educational materials.

Everything at the American Botanical Pharmacy is from the sweat and tears of one of the greatest naturopathic geniuses. Dr Richard Schulze. I've been using his products for years. I have all his educational information available on his site and more.

I also make some of his herbal formulas myself the same way he does but on a much smaller scale for personal use. I always have quart jars in the house filled with tinctures in the making. You can make your own too but if you don't want to do it, not sure you can, or need it tomorrow call them now. Ask for a copy of their catalog too. When your on the web site don't forget to check out their educational stuff. It's good information.

When you make your own you do have an advantage. For example if you were to have kidney stone problems or major calcification on the kidneys you can add extra Hydrangea root and Gravel root.

One of the things that helped my mother with Alzheimer's disease was doing Dr. Schulze's bowel cleansing routine. Read about it on his catalog or on the web site. I'll try to write a post about it. Some of his routines seem like they take up a lot of time. The first day it does because you think about everything and double check and keep reading the instructions. The second day you get the hang of it and from then on it's easy.

I'm going to be doing Dr Schulze's Incurables Program with my mother to work on her Alzheimer's disease. This is a 30 day program. It should be fun. Well for me at least. I have a habit of turning things up a notch or three. I always take every herb I tell others about. I also have consumed higher quantities than most just to see if I can get any side effects. I have experience doing these routines so don't tell me they're to hard to do.

Now go have a healing experience. Your the one that does the healing. If you have a question don't hesitate to click on "comments" at the bottom of each post and leave a comment or question. I'll try to answer it.

I would also like to state I receive no financial incentive to send you to The American Botanical Pharmacy. I am not connected in any way except I have been a very satisfied customer.

I did another post in October titled - "Alzheimer's Warning Urinary Track Infections" that may help if your with a person having Alzheimer's like symptoms.

Alzheimer's Just Add Juice And Herbal Info

When ever I use an herb I use whole herb. This gives me the best results. I stay away from the products that have been standardized because I want the original balance of compounds found in the plant. I don't care that plants grown in different places and environments may have slightly different make up.

Sometimes I mix the same kind of herb from different sources. Sometimes I mix fresh herbs with dried herbs. With ginkgo biloba I have also blended fresh green leaves with the yellowing leaves of fall. I use what I can get when I need to make more. You can buy enough to get you to the time of the year when what you want is available.

If you make herbal tinctures and you end up with a big batch - no worries. As long as it's well sealed and stored properly it can remain potent and effective for years. That's the beauty of tinctures. They have a shelf life the far exceeds any other form of herbs.

Most herbal product lines have a plain whole herb product and one that is standardized. For example on the label it may say extract standardized to 6 percent for a certain chemical or compound. I just checked a bottle of ginkgo biloba leaf extract capsules and it says - standardized to ginkgoflavoglycosides 21mg(24%) and terpene lactones 5mg (6%). Read my last post for more about this.

Whenever possible I use just the plain unchanged whole herb. I tried so many high performance standardized special delivery proprietary process improved uptake special patent herbal junk. I haven't found one product that was better than just plain herbs. All that fancy stuff just empties you pocket faster. If you want an herb concentrate make it yourself.

Use organic herbs or wild-crafted herbs whenever you can. Wild-crafted just means they have be collected in the wild. In their natural environment and hopefully in a way that doesn't deplete or harm the source. To sustain the wild sources I buy organic whenever possible.

This will also help the organic herb farmer. The more you support this industry the easier it will be to get these herbs. The availability of a larger selection of safer (no pesticides higher quality) herbs will increase. These organic herb farmers would love to expand into a growing market. It comes down to demand.

There is no reason why you can't grow your own herbs. There are many herbs in high demand and you would be able to sell anything you grow beyond your personal needs. This is true of medicinal herbs as it is culinary herbs. You could start your own little cottage industry and recover your costs.

Once your friends and family see how herbs help you they may become your first customers. Some herbs sold fresh can fetch a price worth the effort. You don't even need to dry them. Even if you don't plan to use the herb yourself.

Many of the herbs and spices you cook with have medicinal use. A good way to ingest additional herbs is to use them in your food preparation. There is no reason not to sprinkle them on your food just before you eat. Add them to you salads.

If you juice as I do stick some herbs into the juicer between pieces of fruit or vegetables. I often add fresh parsley or cilantro to my favorite combinations.

I sometimes do juice fasting. Juice fasting is when you stop eating all other foods and consume only fruit and vegetable juices. This is strictly a vegan adventure. No meat juice. No meat broth.

When it's only for a few days the plain single juices and blended combinations are great. If its a long juice fast it's nice to change things up by adding different fresh herbs. I juice everyday even when I'm not fasting. Juice fasting is great for a person with Alzheimer's disease.

Be careful using hot peppers (especially habanero peppers) and garlic. Not because they will harm you but because they are much stronger in taste when juiced. Remember you can always put more in but you can't take it out.

If a person has Alzheimer's you may notice them napping a lot during the time they should be awake. They may be falling asleep right after eating a snack or a meal. This is not only true of people with Alzheimer's like symptoms but for many elderly people and some of us younger types.

This is in part because to the food we eat. Different types of food digest at different speeds. The digestive process can take several hours for certain food. During digestion up to one third of your bodies blood supply goes to your digestive tract. Not only is it carrying stuff your body can use it's carrying the things it can't use. The liver gets very busy.

When the blood is doing this it's hard for it to do the things we want it to do. Focus on the brain. Take toxins from other processes in the body and transport them to the liver. The liver is one of the major cleansing portals of the body.

Very few people have a healthy liver. It's not bad enough for most of us to feel it. It is easy for the blood to try and pass these toxins to the liver. Working at reduced effectiveness it's easy for the liver to say no vacancy. The blood has no choice but to find some other dump site. Don't count on the blood to fine a safe storage area for all those toxins. There aren't any.

The blood likes to dump stuff. It's very good at doing just that. If it's carrying toxins and the liver won't accept any more it often finds some place in the body to store them. Once stored they usually don't automatically head for the liver when the liver has a lighter load to handle. You store a lot of bad stuff in you body.

Not just eating bad food choices creates toxins. Every process in the body does. Even breaking down and using the nutrients in the right form causes toxins. Then add the stuff that we add in our food. The water we drink. What gets through the skin.

Every movement, every breath, every heart beat, every repair, every cell creation, every bio electrical signal, every thought, the billions of bacteria in us, the parasites, the fungus and more create toxins from within. Wow! How does the liver handle that.

Besides taking care of toxins the liver is the factory that supplies and stores our main supply of energy. This is glucose. The body can run for a while on some other things but the brain works best on glucose.

So when the liver is overloaded. Congested with the unhealthy fats. Over worked and stressed out and under paid. Trying to process man made chemicals it was never meant to handle we have a problem.

One of the things that can help this is juicing. When you drink juice the digestion time is very short. About 20 minutes. You're also giving your body high doses of great nutrition. You're getting all the stuff you destroy when you cook your food. This can cause a major improvement in health and energy levels.

I urge you to try juicing yourself. It is very powerful. My father never wanted to do fresh juicing. He did like fruit juice and the occasional glass of tomato juice. One day I set the juicer up in his kitchen and started juicing. I had gone to the food market and bought a whole shopping cart of organic fruits and vegetables.

I washed some of the stuff and then juiced it. Maybe an hour later I'd doing it again. We were all drinking 12 ounce glasses of juice all day long. More than we needed but we were all enjoying the different tastes.

On the 4th or 5th day I walk into the kitchen and there's my father standing at the sink washing carrots and beets. I couldn't believe it. He went from not really wanting to try the first glass to wanting juice enough to start making it himself and for any one else that wanted it.

My mother being 90 years old and having Alzheimer's is prone to frequent naps especially after eating regular food. Then she will wake up at night and not want to go back to sleep. When I can get her off the regular foods and just juice it's better for all of us.

When I can get everything organized and have the money and time to do these juice fasts she has a even level of energy through out the day and usually gets a good night of sleep - me too. It also appears that the herbs work better when the body isn't constantly bogged down digesting regular food.

There are all types and price ranges for juicers. I have a Champion Juicer. It's very easy to clean. I've had it for six years and have used it hard but it still works like the day I got it. I paid around 200 US dollars for it. It makes nut butters too. You can put frozen bananas through it and it comes out like soft ice cream or frozen custard. People don't believe it's only banana.

No matter what your health is like get a juicer. What you can afford to spend for a juicer doesn't matter. Get one and use it. The more expensive juicers get more juice from what you juice. They cost more to buy but reduce the amount of produce you buy. If you grow what you juice that's better yet.

I have juiced for periods longer than a month - just juice. If I don't use the stove or oven (electric) for cooking and use it just making herb teas I have saved 30 to 50 dollars off the electric bill for the month.

Are you still here? I thought I told you to go buy a juicer.

Alzheimer's And Herbs Before You Start

This is a valuable insight into the world of herbs few know about. I thought I would tell you a little about herbs and how I feel about different variations. These are my own opinions. I feel you need to be informed and this might make you think. If I come across info I don't hide it like others do.

When using herbs to help with Alzheimer's disease use a supplier that will tell you where they get their herds. I always use herbs that are organic, wild-crafted (wild harvested) or I grow or collect in the wild myself. I buy from people that sell herbs in bulk. This is usually one pound and up. Some will sell as little as 4 ounces. Rare expensive herbs may be sold by the ounce.

Please do your own research and know that many of the books on herbs may not have reliable information. Isn't that true about everything these days. Just be aware that if it's in a book doesn't mean it's right. Some of the most bought books have the least value. Some of the herbal magazines are also spreading disinformation. Some on purpose and some don't know any better.

There's always some biochemist trying to isolate the magic bullet in nature. What they do is try to pick the one ingredient they think is responsible for the action and then they set it to a certain percentage. You'll often hear the an herb has been standardized to have a certain amount of a chemical. That a study has found this modified herb to be effective to some degree in a study.

I wonder if this is just a sales gimmick. Where does the money come for these studies. It involves isolating a single chemical which sounds the way the drug companies work. The herbal companies will sell these processed herbs and make a lot of money. After these herbs have been standardized can you really call them herbs?

A lot of herbal companies that put herbs in bottles jump on the band wagon. They hear about a study and put out a standardized herbal product to match what the study says it used. This is money driven. They know people will be looking for a standardized herbal product that matches the study. This is based on the idea that it must be one chemical - one alkaloid and that's wrong.

Another reason I am not for standardized herbs is they are using some kind of process to accomplish this. They will do it as cheap as they can. What chemicals are used. Is there anything in the end product that wasn't there in the beginning.

What they don't want you to know is the herbs may contain more of that chemical to begin with. If there is. When they standardize it they may be actually reducing the strength of the herb. That doesn't matter to them. It only matters that the percentage matches the study.

You might see references to ratios like 10:1 (ten to one). Where they take 10 pounds a make a pound of more potent product. If there is a pesticide residue on the herb this will be increased as well. You don't think they have a special process to remove these pesticides do you? Do they care? They don't think you will find out.

Many herbs imported into the United States are gassed with Ethylene Oxide to kill bacteria. Believe me you don't want your herbs treated with this stuff. It is very dangerous and can cause cancer or worse. Herbs can be treated with Ethylene Oxide and still be called organic. Can you believe that. I'm sure there are other countries taking measures to treat herbs and food coming from other countries.

Many drugs the pharmaceutical (drug) companies make originated from plants. The chemicals they make aren't an exact match. They say herbs don't work. Why do you think drug companies research the chemical composition of plants searching for alkaloids and testing each one to see if it's responsible for the healing effects of that plant. If they find one that shows promise they try to make it the lab. But they say herbs don't work only their pills. Some body isn't telling the truth.

Take Premarin for example. You have probably seen in the news this is used for women and supplies estrogen. Before World War II they would get biologically identical estrogen from plants. Putting our brilliant knowledge to use some genius said, we can get a cheaper source if we use the urine from pregnant horses. The miracles of modern chemistry.

It's not bio identical to humans but it's an estrogen. All we need to do is take a pregnant mare and stick a catheter up the horses urethra and collect the urine in a container. A little magic in the lab and presto change-o we have a pill. We can call it Premarin. Look at the spelling. See it. PREgnant MARe urINe. PRE-MAR-IN. PREMARIN. Yum!

This is only an example and just the tip of the iceberg. There are many manufacturers, brands and different hormone replacement drugs not just for estrogen. Where do they come from? Do they increase the chance of getting cancer or will they speed up the growth of an existing cancer?

Most of us have heard of the actress Suzanne Somers. If not you can do a search. You can bet she isn't taking Premarin. She's very well informed and she found a doctor to help her by using bio identical estrogen. Every time I see her on television she is talking about health and how bio identical hormones have changed her life. Way to go Suzanne. I just hope she's using bio identical hormones from plants and not cadaveric hormones harvested from dead people.

Strange that they say herbs don't work but that's where the got most drugs and they continue to search plants for new drugs. You can tell when an herb is interfering with their profits. How you ask? They have it declared dangerous and tie in dozens of weak claims that the herb has killed some one. Yet their poison can kill many thousands and disable even more and all they need to do is put a warning on the label.

Other drugs come from bacteria and other creatures of god. Not out of the head of some super chemist in the lab. There are also plants that don't contain alkaloids and still they heal and the pharmaceutical companies can't figure out how they work. They have eyes to see but they are blind. Perhaps by choice. If the drug companies can't patent it and charge a fortune for it they say it doesn't work.

It's not one but many chemicals and compounds working together and you can't make them in a chemical plant. The only kind of plant that can make them is the kind that grows with it's roots in the soil. All herbs have so many things in them they don't know what they all are. But when you buy your prescriptions they only have one active chemical in them with binders, flow agents, dyes and coating chemicals.

I feel this way about working on any serious condition. Not only for dealing with Alzheimer's disease. I'll talk more on the herbs I use after I discuss some of the basics.

Alzheimer's UTI Herbs Vs Doctors

The first time Edith acquired an urinary tract infection I felt so bad seeing her suffer with it. The way it was handled by the allopathic (regular) medical doctors was in my opinion was inhumane. Here is what they do where we live. Edith is my mother and she has Alzheimer's disease.

First I'd like to say that mom does pretty good communicating when in a familiar environment like at home. Put her in a strange place like a hospital and it gets difficult for her to focus and follow what is being said or asked of her.

The people in the hospital don't exhibit much patience in dealing with the situation and just want to get things done. They worry more of the time involved than the mental state they are creating in the Alzheimer's patient. They know she has trouble urinating.

It's an inconvenience to them and they need to put a little more effort into communicating. I could see the impatience in their face. They want a urine sample so they resort to a catheter and draining a sample for testing. They have drained her so the urgency and pain are gone.

That's the only plus I saw of the process. The way they handled the situation rubbed me the wrong way. I'm a proactive caregiver and you don't want to rub me the wrong way. I will not hesitate to make my feelings and demands known.

I can be a doctors, a medical assistants or a nurses worst nightmare if that's what I feel is necessary. I don't feel they are half as special as they do. The barbarians. Sorry if I offended any barbarians I didn't mean to insult you.

I don't intentionally look for a confrontation but if reasonable efforts don't work. The warrior awakes in me and I use whatever it takes. There is a warrior in you. Don't be afraid to let that warrior take control when you need it.

They send the sample to the lab to see what is causing the infection. This involves growing a culture and testing with various antibiotics to determine which will be the best choice. They then fax the report to the family doctor who in turn calls us. It's off to the drugstore to pick up the prescription.

The prescription requires taking food with it and is to be taken a certain times of the day. It's the end of the third pill taking day before she starts to improve in the discomfort department. She was able to pass small amounts of urine during the treatment period. I didn't need to take her back to the hospital to get her drained again.

So this whole process took over 4 full days until she started to feel better. That really tormented me but she was lucky in a way. She couldn't remember what happened before or how long it had been.

We have always been a family that used herbs for a lot of ills and had pretty good results. I even remember my grandmother collecting and using herbs. This was something that has always been used by our family. We would use them because we could and because we didn't have a lot of money. We did go to the doctor but I think it was more from being indoctrinated over the years.

When I saw how they did things at the hospital and the attitude they had I decided to do for mom what she would have done for me. I went herbal. Not the run of the mill watered down over filtered poorly made stuff you can get at the store. The same organic wildcrafted kick ass industrial strength stuff my grandmother would have made if she was still around. I wouldn't be surprised if she was there urging me on.

Months later Edith got another infection and it was worse because she couldn't pee at all when I noticed the problem. She was rocking on the toilet and saying no-no-no-no and had her hand between her legs. Well this the moment I was preparing for.

This stuff doesn't taste bad so she will drink it down with ease. I gave her 2 droppers full (around 120 drops) in about an ounce of water. Twenty minutes later another dose and a half hour later another dose. When she laid down it didn't bother her as much so she took a nap.

About two hours had passed and I see her heading for the bathroom so I followed. As soon as she sat on the toilet seat she started to pee and pee and pee. A nice strong constant stream and no pain or discomfort.

I continued to give her 4 doses a day for three days just to make sure the infection was gone. It was gone. About 6 months later another UTI so I did the same thing I did the last time hoping for the same results and it worked the same way.

I have used this two more times since. Once when the urinary tract infection was acute like the previous times and once when I caught it early. This treatment worked every time.

No hospital. No aggravated inconvenienced doctors. No catheters. No snappy nurses. No waiting for tests. No prescriptions. No special feedings so she could take the prescription. No waiting over 4 days before starting to feel improvement.

Best of all my mother didn't need to be thrust into a state of confusion, anxiety and fear because of the way she was treated at the hospital. Oh did I mention no bills coming in the mail from the hospital, the emergency room, the emergency room doctor, the lab test, the family doctor or the prescription. Yea!

I hate it when you go to the hospital because you don't get one bill you get 15 people billing you. That should stop. You should get one itemized bill from the hospital and they should pay the idiots that work there for their tests and services. They should pass a bill or law. Call it - "One Roof One Bill".

We had used herbs for other conditions that our family doctor said herbs couldn't fix. This was years before the UTI problems. Each time my parents said they didn't take what she had prescribed she would try to scare us into following her recommendations and to take her prescriptions. She would make comments like it's probably to late now. It was to late because the condition was gone.

Every time a new medical condition was found she would stare me down and say you can't fix that with herbs and every time herbs worked. Not just worked but worked without side effects and better and faster than anything she could come up with. I'll go into more depth about this another time.

Why she looked at me when she would say you can't fix that with herbs I don't know. I think she wanted me to take sides with her. She may have thought I was telling my parents what to do. If you knew my parents you would know I didn't have that kind of power over them. No one did. They always would decide on their own. If they made it known to me what they wanted I would just assist them to make it so.

Alzheimer's Warning Urinary Track Infections

The first thing is getting a person with Alzheimer's to drink some water when they wake up. I do this because we all become dehydrated to some degree when we sleep. When you get older the brain doesn't work as well as it can if you don't keep hydrated. Also this gets the kidneys working and helps flush out anything that's in the urinary tract.

I try to fit in a serving of cranberry juice not long after mother gets up. I do this to help cut down on the possibility of a urinary track infection. It was thought that cranberry juice killed the bacteria that cause infection and I still feel that maybe be one of the things it does.

Now I have read that it makes the surfaces of the urinary tract very slippery and this makes it hard for bacteria to attach to anything and they flush out easily. I doesn't matter to me how it works. Only that it helps.

When people with Alzheimer's go to the bathroom they don't always wipe themselves in a proper manner. This is especially important for women. They can easily reach between their legs to wipe their bottom and smear fecal matter over their vaginal area. Females with Alzheimer's are at higher risk for repeat urinary tract infections because of anatomy.

That's a perfect environment for an infection to start and migrate up the urethra to the bladder and up the ureters to the kidneys. This is the most common direction for a UTI to infect them and you also. It's a lot easier to keep a person with Alzheimer's disease clean. When they develop an infection you must keep them clean and treat the infection.

I always try to be close by when mom goes to the bathroom. By watching how things go you can see a problem they won't or don't know how to tell you about. You see them holding their bladder area or exhibit a rocking motion while sitting on the toilet.

They may express discomfort with facial expressions or even verbally. If you are not there you can not see these signs when they first start. If the person did not have Alzheimer's they would be able to say they are having a problem long before this degree of infection. You must learn the symptoms.

Audio sounds may be as simple as a moaning or repetitive sounds like oh-oh-oh-oh or no-no-no-no. They will often use the same sounds and or movements if a second infection occurs so its important for you to learn what the person you are taking care of does when an infection flowers. You should look for return visits to the bathroom every few minutes also.

If you are going to be a caregiver your duties will include monitoring bathroom activities. From using the toilet to bathing and everything in between. You become a specialist of bowel movements, personal hygiene and safety. You will see, smell and clean up things you never thought you would have to clean.

I may be difficult at first but you'll get the hang of it. It all becomes boring and routine. Nothing will shock you. You may even find yourself breaking out in laughter at inappropriate situations. I often do. It's a good way to relieve tension.

A UTI can come on very fast so it is important that you learn the early warning signs. Once it starts it can escalate to the point where no urine will able to flow. If this has ever happened to you I know you understand how bad this feels.

Alzheimer's Imagine All The People

When people reach this stage of their life and the person is no longer able to remain in our reality. They often live in a world much more difficult than ours. Imagine getting old and one by one you give up your pleasures and the control of your own life. Then add Alzheimer's too.

You know that your physical ability is diminishing and you can no longer take care of yourself. On top of that your mental function is declining and your memories are almost impossible to recall. Your ability to understand what you see and hear is on the retreat.

The world that you live in becomes smaller and smaller. The sights, sounds, smells and the touch of a soft breeze that have brought you joy so many times no longer come to visit.

The food looks and smells good but your taste in food has changed and you don't like the taste of most foods so it's hard to please you. You don't enjoy eating most of the time. Even if something tastes good at first a few spoonfuls later you don't like it and don't want to eat any more.

Now take away your social skills and manners. Leave behind everything you have ever learned about etiquette. You struggle to remember the most basic vocabulary and how to use it.

You spend most of the day in a state of confusion. Recognizing those around you but not knowing who they are. Not knowing if you belong where you are. Are the people around you your family or friends or may they be people you should fear. Do you risk interaction with them. Often for no reason you become overwhelmed with fear and can't escape it.

You become frustrated because no one seems to hear your questions and when they do talk to you it doesn't make sense. You feel you are a burden and don't belong here because of the facial expressions you see and the tone of the voices you hear.

Nobody talks to you any more they talk at you. They talk as if you aren't even there. As if you aren't even here. You don't understand what that means but you know how it feels. How alone one must feel.

You can't tell those taking care of you that you are not comfortable or don't feel good. You're in constant pain and you can't do anything about it. You ate something earlier you thought was food but now you feel like you might have poisoned yourself. The shoes they have you wear make your feet hurt.

Your eyesight is getting worse and you will probably never see clearly again because you can't tell the optometrist which setting makes your vision clear. Don't forget the dentist. That's just some of it. Imagine all the people that are going through this.

Many times they may show signs of clarity and reason for short bursts. Like fireflies in the night. A flash, a flicker, a little streak of light in a void of blackness. As a caregiver it is important to look for those little streaks of light. When they happen don't waste one second of it.

It makes me wonder if these random re-connections can occur why can't we find a way to increase there number or duration. Why can't we bring them back to full function. If it's happening randomly there must be something that causes it. I know they study the progression of Alzheimer's disease and trying to find better ways to diagnose it. But is any one trying to study how the random access to previously blocked memory occurs.

I just want to say that I don't feel they are doing an acceptable job researching any diseases. I think they have gotten fat and lazy. I don't think they have any incentive to work any harder or smarter. They don't need to show true results to earn money for this. All they do is go out and beg and lie for more money with no accountability. A never ending source of money.

From watching closely it seems to me that the person is often still aware but when trying to express themselves their speech and movement becomes scrambled. They know what they what to express and in their head it sounds right to them but to us that listen it becomes a mixed up jumble of babble.

They make up there own language using words that sound almost right but aren't really words. At least to us. They become repetitive and you have no answers to put their questions to rest.

Other times it seems like the mind and body are on autopilot and what made them who they are is no longer there. Almost as if they are not present in the body when they are at their worst. As if they re-enter their body and are more of what you recognize is there when at their best.

When a person with Alzheimer's like symptoms is repetitive they may be asking or saying something again because they forget they did it already. It may be there is something wrong and what you are hearing is an attempt to express that. I might mean nothing more than they are stuck in a loop.

If there is a problem like a urinary tract infection they may feel extreme discomfort. Since they can't express that as we would they say something and keep repeating it because the pain continues. What they say becomes attached to the discomfort and they repeat.

It's a primal response like when you have a tooth abscess. When the pain becomes intense enough people have a tendency to moan and begin a rocking motion. This response is a release. It helps break the focus on the pain.

When I see or hear something repetitive I like to check things out just to make sure there isn't something physically wrong triggering it. If there doesn't appear to be a physical issue I use some of the techniques I use to break there focus on it that are in other posts.

It may be their way of saying they need some one to make them feel loved or cared about. Not just cared for. They may need reassurance they fit in and are safe and that you know they are there. They feel doing annoying things gets them noticed faster than doing what you which they would do.

How many times does a child do annoying or disobedient action and gets negative attention rather than seeking out positive actions and getting positive attention. This is most certain because negative actions always attracts more attention and often positive actions return no attention at all.

Maybe when a child is doing what we don't want them to and we think they are doing it on purpose they are not. At least not in a conscious way. Maybe these actions in the person with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms originates from the same process that triggers this type of behavior in children.

Remember that Alzheimer's disease and the Alzheimer's like symptoms of dementia and senility are all very complex disease processes to cope with. The diagnosis of this is very traumatic to the person and may cause issues. When you get told you have it you know it's a life sentence and your on you way out of this world.

This is usually a long unforgiving journey that nobody would sign up for. It's one of those milestones that make you face your mortality. Make sure you address the persons concerns. Don't let them feel they will be going through this alone. Talk about everything and leave no stones unturned.

Their mental and emotional state will play a big roll in getting through this ordeal. It's very important that every body involved has their head in the right place. That goes for the person that has been diagnosed, the family and the caregiver(s).

When a person has Alzheimer's they tend to remember things from long ago. If they aren't looking in a mirror they may even think they are a young child. I can't count the number of times my dear mother has called me daddy. They make act out of character for their age. They may often think they are young. They may act and do things you would expect of a child.

Sometimes I think we allow ourselves to be bothered because we are so close to the person we take care of. It's hard to see and accept that a person we knew so well has been reduced to this terrible condition. Maybe when we look at that person they become our mirror. Is this my future and is this what my existence is destined to become.

All I ask is that when the person you are taking care of starts to drive you crazy remember who the driver is. It's you not them. You allow and choose to let their actions influence you. You choose to regard them as the stimuli that drives you crazy.

This is not the case. This is the difference of going for the ride or tapping into your higher self and choosing to be a compassionate being. When you view something as negative it causes the negativity in you to grow. The person that is driving you crazy is not doing it on purpose. They have had their ability to choose stolen away from them.

So don't punish the spirit because the vessel has become damaged. When you start feeling like ignoring the person or start viewing them as an annoyance or you just want to scream and yell. Have a talk with yourself.

Look at yourself in a mirror and tell yourself you are not going to respond to this insanity with insanity. That you allow your higher self to take a dominant role in the way your react to the physical world and the other beings that share it with you. In time all things pass.

The majority of us have a similar fate awaiting us in not to many years as long as our life isn't cut short by choice, accident or disease. The longer we live the closer the chance of being a victim of Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia gets. The statistics of avoiding it aren't in our favor.

It doesn't matter who you are, what you have done or how much money you have. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, the language(S) you speak or where in the world you live. It doesn't matter if your religious, spiritual, agnostic or atheist. It doesn't matter if you never went to school or have multiple advanced degrees. There are no magic pills to take, no doors to lock, no secret hiding place or sanctuary to take refuge.

Even if the person you take care of wasn't one of your favorite people take care of them as you would want some one to take care of you. Do unto to others as you would have others do unto you.

Alzheimer's Beware The Media

Beware of info through any form of media. Any time you see a report or ad on television or in magazines or the world wide web you are getting the story that is usually slanted or has a spin. You have probably heard of spin doctors. They take a situation and present it in a way that will have you thinking the way they want.

This is not just true in politics but in almost everything you see. This is also true in the area of medicine and pharmaceutical drugs. Be aware that the local TV station often will form partnerships with local hospitals.

If things get slow in one of the departments of the local hospital or revenue is dropping you may see the medical journalist of the TV station doing stories that encourage the viewer to get checked or tested for a certain condition. You will often have a medical segment on the news that has a doctor from that hospital in an interview or hear of a new treatment that you can get there.

Often these so called new treatments aren't new everywhere else. Just at that hospital or to the region. Very seldom does the medical community share what they are doing. That is not just from doctor to doctor but hospital to hospital and region to region. That keeps the money coming to them.

The Advertising budget of the pharmaceutical drug companies is very large. There lies the danger. The media has become more dependent on the money they get from them. Companies don't want to advertise some where that their product is condemned.

You'll notice that a television station will allow the news to release minor information when there is a known problem with a drug. There is very seldom much of a follow up. It might even make it into some of the hour long news related shows. That same station will let the drug company advertise that drug knowing how bad it is on their network. I guess they believe that saying the benefits out weigh the risks.

If a large portion of the budget comes from say the pharmaceutical industry the media source has a vested interest in protecting it. To get an idea of the control count the number of drug commercials some evening or see how many are in your favorite magazines. Seeing all these ads has an impact on what you think even if you don't think they do. You want to believe and there's the trap.

Pharmaceutical corporations dump unbelievable amounts of money into advertising. Seems to me they were doing pretty well before the were allowed to advertise directly to us on television. Do they do it to sell drugs. Remember we are to stupid to control our own health. Is it for damage control when good drugs go bad. How often their drug is mentioned or how many days in the news.

I've seen an increase in ads for cholesterol lowering drugs, blood pressure drugs and medications for Alzheimer's disease. Whenever the drugs are shown to be harmful and it makes the news they saturate the media with ads to try and counter the bad press. They bombard you with dozens of their ads for each mention of organ failure or death.

They have even been known to change the name of drugs. When the reputation of a drug makes it hard to market because of it's danger you can apparently just change the name and keep selling it. Any one for a little purple pill.

What pressures are put on the Food and Drug Administration to take the kind of actions they should have when these drugs were being approved. Where did the people that work at the FDA work before. Who do they work for when they leave the FDA. Who do they work for now. Not us. The number of drugs getting approved and then later removed from the market are at record highs.

How would you like to be one of the victims of one of these dangerous drugs. Remember the FDA, drug companies and your doctors told you it was safe. It wasn't safe for the people that had renal failure or liver failure or heart failure or respiratory failure or death. Have you noticed that the side effects of these drugs are more dangerous the what they are being prescribed for.

So the next time the media starts to spout out the newest improved making progress on a disease report remember who the messengers are. In fact as I'm writing this the television is on in another room. I just heard some one say "If we get enough money and enough doctors we can come up with a cure for this". Notice they said money first. They're not looking for a cure they're looking for your money.

Alzheimer's Imagination, Manipulation And Trickery

There are many ways to get the person with Alzheimer's disease to do what you need them to do. Their lack of memory can work in your favor. If asking doesn't work try saying things like - remember you agreed to do this before you had your snack. Perhaps use - don't you remember you asked if you could do this earlier and I said you had to wait until I finished what I was doing. Well I'm done now so lets go do it.

In the earlier stages and into the intermediate level of Alzheimer's using remember works well. I think this is because they don't want you to know they don't remember. They are very good a hiding the fact they don't remember. I have seen many people talk to my mother and thought they were talking to a normal person of her age.

However if they had asked her to repeat what she just heard they would have realized how bad she is. Somehow they can give a proper response for the conversation. This is almost like a survivor skill. Not allowing the disability to show they are venerable and an easy target.

I've seen this in other people with Alzheimer's disease. I don't know how it works but I find it fascinating. Like some kind of innate primal instinct. This must be stored away in some yet not effected area of the brain to work this well.

I have also used - we do this every day about this time so lets get it done and we won't need to do it later. This type of thing works well when the person with Alzheimer's disease is forgetful but they can still understand what you say. The variations you can come up with are endless.

Imagination, manipulation and trickery are good tools to use when you use it the right way and for the right reasons. If the person with Alzheimer's stays focused on the issue try a simple positive diversion.

Like changing the channels on the television and then laugh like you see something that made you laugh. You can walk out of the room and turn around and come right back in singing a song as you enter. These little stunts make it hard for them to remember what happened a short time ago.

This doesn't just work when you are trying to get them to do something. It can be used to change an emotional or mental state they are in.

Remember even if they can't talk or understand what you say the may be very capable of picking up how you feel and they may turn on that emotion in themselves or feel they are the cause.

If they see you looking sad or angry or fearful they may become sad or angry or fearful. It can work the other way around too. So if you see they are in a negative state express happiness, joy, love and other positive energy and they will often begin to mirror you.

Do not wait until later to address the issue if they are having a bad time. Do it now. They may not have a concept of time and the way they feel right now is they way they think they have felt and will feel.

They may feel like they have always lived in fear and will always be in a state of fear. So take a moment of your precious time and transform their existence into the happy, joyful, fearless and loving world they deserve.

Alzheimer's Believe Who? Believe You!

I could go into all of the possible causes for Alzheimer's disease but since the medical community doesn't know it would be a waste of time. The things that get on the news, that are said to prevent or slow the progression of this terrible condition, are all wrong. The doctors that push this disinformation are doing nothing but blowing smoke and spreading information that will not help you. If they believe what they say it amazes me they made it through medical school.

There enthusiasm seems to add to their credibility but don't fall for it. This false hope is used to make you think they are working hard and making progress to keep you in their grasp. You often here there is evidence that there is a link to... This means nothing. They crunched some numbers so to speak. They found that a percentage of people that do something have the disease or not. Not every body just a certain percentage.

This kind of information means nothing and just adds to the confusion. Every time they get on the news it makes you think they are working hard and making progress. This is to keep you thinking they are near finding a solution and if only they had more money they could find it faster.

They say if you keep your mind active by reading, puzzles and continued learning. They say to exercise often to maintain a good blood supply to the brain. They have dietary recommendations. Things you shouldn't do. These aren't a preventative for Alzheimer's disease. People that live there life like this already still get Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms. Those recommendations are what you should do to maintain your general heath.

Then when you get Alzheimer's they tell you to take drugs that don't work and are dangerous in my opinion. If you haven't realized it by now they are stabbing in the dark looking for answers, coming up empty and trying to sound like they found something. People expect results so they put on a show to make you think they are making progress and here are some things to slow down the progression. Personally I'm getting tired of the lies. I want to see proof. Real proof. Not the garbage they are dumping on us now.

If you take care of an Alzheimer's patient or suspect yourself of being in the early stages or have been diagnosed with this disease you should not listen to a doctor and believe blindly what you're told. The time is now to take responsibility of your own health or of the loved one you take care of. It is easier to listen to some one that has been to medical school but you are the one that has to live with the outcome.

If you follow what they tell you to do you can find the progression of the disease in the Merck Index and its not good. The Merck Index will tell you the outcome if you're an average person doing what the average person does and eats what an average person eats. Don't be the rule be the exception. Remove yourself or your loved one from that average list and your journey will not be the same as the average Alzheimer's patient.

The medications they prescribe are said to slow down the onset of Alzheimer's Disease. How can they make this claim. My personal opinion is they can't have a legitimate clinical study because Alzheimer's disease advances at different rates in each person. Comparing two people or two groups of people regardless the number can't support a reliable comparison.

Since every person with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms progresses at their own rate if you don't treat them with medications you see the true progression. How can you prove that a prescribed medication has slowed or increased the rate of progression.

Can you say that because the group that got the test medication had a slower progression it was the medication or was it luck of the draw. The only way a reliable clinical test could be deemed reliable is if a person could split into two identical people. That's not going to happen and that's how they perpetuate the lie.

I am not going to believe what they say until I see them reversing the disease. Slow down the disease? I don't think so. I don't think they are really looking for a true cure. At best maybe a drug they can sell you the rest of your life. They all ready do that but it doesn't help.

Just like all the other diseases. It's always control heart disease or control liver disease or control kidney disease or control diabetes or control glaucoma or control arthritis. When was the last time they really cured anything.

When a person has Alzheimer's disease do you want to add to that the multitude of side effects that come with a prescribed medication. And they will manifest. It's bad enough when a person can tell you they are having a reaction they don't like or causes distress. With Alzheimer's the person can't always express a problem verbally.

They might just indicate that something feels wrong or hurts but don't know how to describe the symptom or the location. Worst they may not be able to say anything and just suffer until the problem gets so bad it becomes an emergency. You might end up torturing them for the rest of their life. Remember it might be your turn next.

If you have been given or taken by choice the responsibility to care for a loved one or family member with Alzheimer's do both of you a favor and take off the blinders. Once the allopathic (regular) doctors get control they will have the Alzheimer's patient on prescribed medication for Alzheimer's. Then when the side effects start to show up they will prescribe more medication to control or lesson the side effects. Then those drugs will have side effects.

This is a vicious circle and before long the list of medications will grow and grow. Remember every prescription drug has side effects. Every one. Also know that some drugs can not be stopped on a whim. It is dangerous to stop many drugs abruptly. Always ask you doctor and look it up in the PDR.

That's the Physicians Desk Reference and it contains full descriptions of the prescription drugs except maybe the just released ones. Even though it's full of usable information you must be aware that what you read in the PDR has been written by the company that makes the drug. Even though they do not expect you to read it the information has been filtered. What is in there will still cause you to worry and it should.

Remember that when you are older you are more likely to have side effects and they may be more serious and probably will be. If you see the drug has warnings in a black box really think about it. The product info in this book is supposed to be the same as the product info that comes with the drugs. You may not see this when you buy a prescription drug. This comes in the box the drug is in and you usually get a small portion of that container.

The drug stores put some warnings on the label and may often give you a very basic write up on the drug. If you do by chance end up with the actual product information from the manufacturer you will likely need strong magnification and a medical dictionary to half understand it.

Look at study results. If a study runs for a unusual time period they may have stopped the study early. If they included the results from beyond the cut off time they may not have been able to get the drug approved. Also look for how many people were in the clinical trial. Does the number of people in the study seem like a strange number. Perhaps people were removed from the trial.

This is my opinion but I would not get involved in any drug trials or clinical studies for Alzheimer's. At best nothing bad may happen but complications often do. I've seen some results of clinical trials gone bad and it's not pretty. I don't feel the drugs they have available now are effective or safe but that is my personal conclusion and you must do your own homework and form your own. You are the one that has to live with the decision and it may haunt you a long time.

Don't listen to a friend or doctor and feel less responsible because some one else said do this or do that. You learn and make an informed choice. Don't let any one tell you what choice to pick or let them limit you choices. Make no on the spot decisions except in an emergency. Learn what makes an emergency an emergency. If you are told take these pills today because tomorrow will be to late you may want to recognize this as a pressure tactic to get control over you again.

Remember you are not deciding for yourself. This is a big responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Don't make the choice because a doctor tells you a drug should be administered. Most doctors don't read the PDR unless you make them. They get most of their info from the drug company representatives that drop off free samples at there office.

If I listened to the doctor my mother would be dead by now. No matter what your going to need to make some hard choices. Make sure you can live with them. Just do you best. That's all I can ask of you. Early onset forms of this disease are on the rise.

You could wake up tomorrow and friend or family member may get the first subtle thought that there is something different with you. When you are this close to Alzheimer's disease you notice your own forgetfulness more and in those around you. There was something else I wanted to say if I could only remember what it was.

Alzheimer's Music Hath Charms To Soothe

The day can vary extensively from day to day regardless of what stage of Alzheimer's Disease the person is in. Many of the symptoms may overlap and that's why I don't even consider regarding them as accurate. There can be many changes happening and if things look like they are getting worst don't think the person won't snap back.

There will be periods of time where the Alzheimer's patient will get worse for maybe hours or even a week or two. This is normal and then just when you think the change is permanent they are back. This is harder on the caregiver and after you go through it a few times and see this happen for your self it will be less stressful. Get used to it because it will happen through out the course of the illness.

In the beginning stages its simple but you still need to keep an eye on them because you don't know when the person with Alzheimer's will manifest a symptom that needs supervision. When the Alzheimer's patient still knows what's going on you should be vigilant but invisible as possible or they will feel uncomfortable with you staring at them. Be less obvious so they feel like the setting is normal and not supervised even though it is.

You should be aware of what they are doing but they shouldn't feel watched. Be sneaky. If you need to get a closer look have a reason to go over to see what they are doing. Don't make it seem watching is the reason. Bring them a drink or a healthy snack. Have a question to ask them. This is a good practice regardless of the stage.

Keep things upbeat and happy. At the end of the day the conversations and activity may not be remembered but the emotion of the day will stick with them. Your main purpose besides the necessities is to keep them in a state of happiness and give the the feeling they are loved. Do not complain to them or tell them the things that worry you. That's for you to deal with and they don't need that in their world such as it is. If the person with Alzheimer's feels happy and loved you did good.

Don't just be with your friend with Alzheimer's when you must be to do your minimum required duties. Each day spend quality time with them. Hold their hand and with a friendly face talk to them in pleasant tones. Brush their hair or gently stroke their head. Give them a back rub or massage. Give them hugs through out the day. A kiss upon the forehead or cheek. The touch of another can be one of the most comforting and healing things. Read or sing to them. It doesn't matter if they don't understand the will enjoy the interaction.

Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast. To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak... I noticed this by accident. On days when Edith can't get a recognizable word out and her confusion can't hide if I start to sing or hum a tune she will start to join me. I must repeat it several times before she starts. I have also had some success with children's rhymes.

This stuff stays in her memory longer for some reason. I can't sing and if you heard me you would either laugh or tell me to please stop it. Even though I can't carry a tune it works. So if you can't sing and it is embarrassing to you do it anyway. To think they told me in grade school that acting as the class clown wasn't going to help me in life.

Even if I make up the tune and the words. When I can't get her to remember 5 minutes ago when conversation is involved she will start singing or humming the tune a half hour later. If I can keep this up for a half hour or more it seems to help her regain her ability to access her language skills again. When she's having a day with communication difficulties it's worth trying. Every little bit I can stimulate her makes it easier on the both of us.

Music isn't just helpful for the person with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's like symptoms it can really help the caregiver. When you have too much to do and feeling overwhelmed put on some music. Let it use it's charms to soothe the savage beast in you.

Alzheimer's Treasures And Traps

Even though I forgot to set out the treasures and traps today wasn't to bad. The first thing I came across was a coffee cup on the counter by the kitchen sink. A puddle of liquid around the cup and something orange colored in the cup. It did look drinkable but I knew we didn't have orange drink in the house. Orange juice but not drink. This one was easy it was liquid dish soap - yum.

She got into the a zip lock bag I had those small packages of condiments like ketchup and horseradish and soy sauce and duck sauce etc. I found the bag along the side of her recliner chair and one of her pockets full. Luckily she didn't start opening them. When she does the contents end up everywhere.

Just our luck. While I was writing this I was concentrating to much on this and not enough on my mother. She made the trek to the bathroom on the other side of the house and started to go before she had managed to sit all the way down and it splattered all over the back of the toilet seat, the toilet tank, the sink cabinet, the back wall, the side wall and the floor. Amazingly she wasn't a mess. So I'm just back from cleaning that mess up.

I just found some other things moved around in the kitchen but no big deal. I went to get tea bags out and she had moved everything around in there and put measuring cups in with the tea bags. With Alzheimer's a person will pick something up and instantly forget where they got it. It seems that instead of just putting it back on the counter there is a need to put it away. Even if it's the wrong place and it always is.

Things will be put in the most abstract places. In different rooms and in a place that has no similar items. Like taking measuring spoons from the kitchen and going into another room and putting them in the desk or in the back corner of a closet. Sometimes you don't find them during a search but come across them by accident days, weeks or even longer.

It can be completely normal when you get up or like this and of course there will be days you'll just want to run away screaming. Every body will need to deal with different things but as you learn the different patterns that some one with Alzheimer's has you can set little diversions that catch their attention. Leave things around that will spark an interest but they can't make a mess with or at least a mess that's easy to clean up.

It's easier to clean up little pieces of tissue paper than it is maple syrup. Things that a small child would find interesting sometimes work. You may have to design the trap to a specific tendency. I noticed my mother can't stand it if a tissue or a piece of toilet paper has a ripped edge. She will tear little pieces off over and over again trying to get a straight edge.

If I leave out a few torn tissues or a strip of toilet paper by her chair she will see them and start trying to fix the irregular edge. I may leave a pile of say 10 tissues on the arm of her chair and she will pick each one up and examine it and compare it to the others. She then often folds them up one at a time into little squares. She can get quite involved in it and seems to even enjoy it.

Let them explore and find these little treasures and traps so they won't get into the things you don't want them to get into. Once they find their little treasure they often sneak off with it to try and figure what it is and that can keep them busy for quite some time. Just remember to keep an eye on them and make sure they don't have something harmful.

This is a way I have found that keeps mom active and moving around instead of just sitting in her chair. All activity you can come up with is good. It's much easier to help some one that can move around. It's good for them and for you the caregiver.

I try to set up several of these in different places and try to offer some variety. If a person has Alzheimer's disease or has Alzheimer's like symptoms they don't seem to be creatures of habit. Each time they wake up they may go a different direction and anything they see that catches their eye or anything they hear may attract them.

That's why I leave the television on. No matter where she is in the house she can hear it. 99 percent of the time I can count on that to get her attention. She will search for the source of the sound. When she gets there she will see her favorite chair and on the table next to it a snack and a drink. I put other things there that have caught her interest in the past to keep her there and busy.

If I'm sleeping and wake up I walk through the house to see if my little Alzheimer's friend has been up and about. I check on her and then I go check the treasures and traps I have spread around the house before I go back to sleep. This can give up a good idea of the extent of the activity while your asleep. You will probably be surprised.

Alzheimer's Caregivers Need Sleep Too.

Yesterday was one of my challenging days. Very early in the morning I was finishing up some things I wanted get done before I went to sleep. I was thinking to myself - It's 2:00 A.M. and it looks like I might get to catch up on some long needed sleep. You see my mother has Alzheimer's disease and she Had been keeping me awake. When some one has Alzheimer's it's better if you can sleep at the same time they do.

This isn't always possible because sometimes things need to get done and you don't get the chance while they are awake. So sooner or later you need to use some of their down time to catch up. Sometimes I just don't want a lot of stuff waiting for me when I get up so I try to do as much as I can before sleep. I know I'll have an easier day and I use it as kind of an alone time to slow down and think with out interruption and get in the mood to sleep.

I had a load of soiled clothes in the washer. Not every time but sometimes a person with Alzheimer's doesn't realize when they should head for the bathroom or where the bathroom is. They might not make it on time or may start to have their bowel movement before they sit down all the way. Oops. We have two bathrooms and for some reason mom will forget the one she's 10 feet from and walk though the house to the other one. This is not a good choice when time is of the essence.

When I think of it I often ask her if she feels like she could go. If she is walking around and near the bathroom I will ask her to go and see if she can go even if she says she doesn't need to go. About eighty percent of they time she can go when she thinks she can not or doesn't feel she needs to. Remember to always be nice about it. If it's upsetting to the person with Alzheimer's it's better to back off ten minutes and try again. Trickery is allowed with Alzheimer's and as long as they feel good through the process and after use it.

I like to get any soiled clothes, towels, sheets and carpets clean before I retire for the day. The day left me with those kind of chores. Around 2:30 A.M. I was exhausted and just wanted to sit down for a few minutes. When I went to get up my lower back was out. Not a little out this was major. When this happens everything slows down by necessity. I got the wash into the dryer and did as little as possible until just before 7:00 A.M. when I could head for the Chiropractor. I made it there but never slept until I got back.

When I got home my mother was still sleeping so I decided I would a least try to get a nap. After about 2 hours of sleep the neighbor decided to mow his grass and that ended my nap. I got up to see what was going on in the house and as I passed my mothers bedroom I saw she wasn't in bed. When she gets up to go to the bathroom during the night she may forget she was sleeping and head over to the other side of the house and sit in her reclining chair.

I found this would happen even if the lights are off in the rest of the house. For fear of her walking through a dark room and falling down I now leave one light on in each room of the house except the bedrooms. Enough light enters the bedrooms from the hall light. I also keep the television on in the room with her chair. I do this to catch her attention. Sort of like a moth to the flame.

This will often entertain her enough to keep her from exploring and moving things all over the place. It's a lot better than getting up the next day and find you need to search the whole house for stuff you need. You can't hide and lock up everything or you spend all your time hiding stuff or locking and unlocking everything.

As I approached the back room I could see she wasn't in her chair so I headed for the bathroom in the back corner of the room and she was not to be found. What I did find was the dreaded Alzheimer's misplaced bowel movement. Down the front of the toilet and on the floor. The soiled underwear cleverly hanging from the top corner of the door of the cabinet under the sink. I could see she had made an attempt at cleaning it up.

Please remember the person Alzheimer's disease doesn't do this on purpose and they don't like having a bowel movement all over them. They need to have some one clean then up even after they try to clean themselves up. I can not say this enough so hear goes. Do not get mad at them or show that your are upset or yell about the mess. It will be better off for all concerned if this is handled with a smile and comforting words and actions.

Anything you are thinking or feeling isn't between you and the person with Alzheimer's. If you feel upset or mad or like yelling it is between you and your god. These are your trials and tribulations and has nothing to do with the person with Alzheimer's.

Back to the bedroom and there she was sitting on the edge of her bed with a lost look on her face. She was there all the time but was in a part of the room you can't see if you just walk by the door. I'm so used to seeing that and finding her in her chair I didn't look completely inside as I passed.

I got her up and guided her down the hall to the clean bathroom and got her washed off and helped her get into some clean clothes and back over to her bed and tucked her in. I got her into bed by telling her it wasn't time to get up yet.

This gave me time to then go over and scrub and disinfect the bathroom and to search the house for any other clothes or the like that needed to be washed. Did I mention that a person with Alzheimer's may place their soiled clothing in the strangest places and may require you to search them out. I still can't find a shoe and I've looked all over the place.

Getting down on you hands and knees and cleaning up something that smells really bad until your done isn't my favorite thing. This mess wasn't as bad as some because it just involved the front portion of the toilet, the floor, the cabinet door and the sink. Often this is very watery or even maybe gel like. It goes everywhere. Even places you won't think to look so check everywhere if you are in a similar situation. Believe me it's so much easier when it's fresh.

When some one has Alzheimer's they do a few things when they make a mess. One is they may try to clean the mess up. The mess becomes harder to see but it is smeared over a much larger area. I prefer this didn't happen because there is always a lot more to clean and they get it on their hands and anywhere they touch needs to be cleaned and disinfected. Sometimes they get distracted and just leave it. Now comes the one I like the least. The person with Alzheimer's decides to try to clean up the mess but then goes on to hide any thing that has poop on it.

I'll warn you that they won't hide everything in the same place. This is why its good to know what was there before the accident and what they were wearing and what they carry around with them. That way you have a general idea what you need to find.

Now I have the really bad area cleaned and start to look for anything I may need to clean between the bathroom and where I found mom. Then I go to the bathroom I cleaned her up in and clean that up. Don't stop to take a rest until you get done. If you do a person with Alzheimer's may find their way back into the mess.

If you can't get them to go lay down for a while try to find something to keep them out of the soiled area. It might be a show on the television and maybe music will work sometimes or a snack. Whatever you do make sure you get them to wash their hands or you do it for them. If they do it make sure you supervise. I usually combine the two.

I keep moms fingernails short and I have a soft bristled tooth brush I use to help clean the fingernails and do it often. A person with Alzheimer's will put their fingers in anything so you want to clean the nails well. Remember to keep it light hearted and fun. Talk to them while your helping them and if you don't understand what they say back act like you do. Put a smile on your face and throw in a laugh here and there. It's contagious.

When cleaning I wear throw away purple nitrile exam gloves. I don't care for the vinyl gloves because they don't fit well and the latex gloves fail or rip easily. I try to use the safest cleaners I can find that still do the job and I use a separate disinfectant.

Use natural green products because every thing you use will get into you and the person you are taking care of. If some one gets a rash you'll know it wasn't from some harsh chemical cleaner. If the person with Alzheimer's gets into it when your not looking the outcome won't be as serious.

To deal with the smell I have found that the air freshener sprays just don't work well. I use essential oils and find them to work well. There are many to pick from and you can find oils that smell really good and kill germs at the same time. One or two sprays is all you need.

As far as clothes, towels, wash clothes or sheets etc go it's good to get them in the washer and let them soak with something to kill the germs and some soap. You can wash them when ever you have the time. Do it when your at home and not sleeping. Never leave a washer or dryer on without being home and awake.

The hoses on a washer can burst and flood your house and the pans they now put under the washer isn't going to take care of a pressurized hose bursting. The dryer can cause a fire because of the lint. The lint trap collects a lot of it but some always gets by and collects in the vent. If this lint catches fire and your not home or if you are asleep the outcome will be tragic.

Now that the unexpected has happened and has been dealt with the rest of the day can start. These messes can happen at any time and I don't always wake up to a mess that needs to be cleaned up. This type of thing can be worse than I just described and has been and will be. You just need to accept that this will happen and if you expect it you will find it easier to deal with. Now that you know this is going to happen you won't get upset about it as easily.

It will happen at the worse time. Waking up to it is never fun but neither is knowing you need to be somewhere and you can not make it on time because you need to change your schedule and start cleaning. Maybe people are coming over to the house and all of a sudden there is a streak of watery poop across the carpet and the bathroom is a mess and the smell is terrible and the person with Alzheimer's needs to get a bath or shower.

This is only one type of mess you will need to deal with so get yourself a sense of humor and give up the idea that you need to be in control and that things should go the way you think they should. The only thing you can control is you. Try it right now. Go ahead smile. Better yet let go and laugh out loud. Don't tell any body your going to do it just start laughing hard and loud. Laughing hard is a good way to give yourself an energy boost.

When something like this happens I take advantage of every chance I can to nap. This might happen soon after mom gets up. She may come over and sit in her chair and fall asleep. If she does I'll sit down in the chair next to hers and nap at the same time. Most of the time I know I need to make it more than half way through the day before she wants to take a nap. If she decides to recline in her chair I know that's only good for a half an hour to an hour of nap time. If she wants to go over on her bed for a nap I can usually squeeze 3 or 4 hours into the nap.

Try your best to get a full nights sleep each day. If you can't get it in one sleep period that's fine as long as you can add it all up to equal a full nights sleep. If it's not at least 2 hours long I don't count it. A half hour nap may help you feel better but it won't get your body to start detoxifying. Your body does most of its detoxifying and healing during sleep according to me.

O sleep! O gentle sleep!
Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee,
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?

Alzheimer's Coincidence Or Divine Intervention

This happened about a week and a half ago. Better late than never. Ever notice that even with the best intentions to sit down and get some work done things happen to distract you from it and in the end it seems like you were being guided. I had one of those days. Mom was more interactive this day and kept asking me to come out to the room she was in. She just wanted to spend time with me.

This happens often but this time she was pestering me every few minutes. With Alzheimer's disease it's unusual that she could keep that idea going for as long as she did. I resigned to the fact I wasn't going to get anything done any way so I went out and sat down.

Being with a person that has Alzheimer's disease you become aware of things most people might not notice. When I'm at the computer I constantly listen for the slightest noise or vibration or movement caught out the corners of my eyes. You begin to notice patterns of normal activity. Anything that is outside of that pattern catches your attention. Your awareness of everything around you is heightened.

The room we were in has large windows one next to the other. You see around outside very well. The road isn't far about 50 or 60 feet but with the trees and bushes you only see a glimpse of part of a car or person. We live on a corner property and it's normal for people to turn onto the road and stop to get their bearings or pick something up that slid off their seat.

If you look toward the bottom of the yard you see a longer stretch of road. Well I see a car slowing down but I don't see it stop because of the bushes. I looked toward the bottom of the yard and I see a car the same color almost stopping and then doing this again and again. I've seen this before when a cat or dog is on the run to freedom.

If a pet gets free in the area it often shows up here. The yard is full of bushes that were planted as food sources and cover for birds. This landscape seems to attract runaway pets too. About 15 minutes past and I see the car go by again. I go out but it's to far down the road for them to notice me. I go back in and sit down and about the time I expect the car to come past again I start looking out the door. Instead of the car I see an elderly woman walk past the door, go down the steps onto the driveway and head for the backyard. Now that was out of the ordinary. I went out and asked her it I could help. Was she looking for her pet?

By her response I could tell she had memory problems. Not lost to the world but not all there either. I asked her where she was trying to get to and who she was. She new her name (RUTH) so that helped and she was going to her son's house. She gave the name of the road we are on but said she was looking for the big house and didn't know the address.

All the houses are about the same size one this road. I asked where she was coming from and she mentioned her daughter and pointed up the other road and said it was over the hill but didn't know the address there. Her house was about 10 miles away. She was visiting her daughter and no one was there because her daughter had to work. So she decided to walk to
her son's house.

It was hot out and she looked a little hot so I got her to come into the air conditioned house and I looked for her son's name in the phone book. His name wasn't but there was a women in there on my road with the same last name. Two numbers and both had answering machines. I left messages. She knew her son's name but not his wife's first name. I didn't know for sure so I also called the operator for more help but she had no listings for Ruth's son.

I got her something to drink but you need to take care because you don't know if they have health issues. Can they have sugars or are they allergic to anything. Now I had 2 elderly women with Alzheimer's in the house. I lucked out. Both pleasant, happy and talkative. She mentioned she had been walking for quite a while. She was ready to get on her way so I kept talking about different stuff to distract her. I didn't feel it was safe for her to wander off on her own.

If she did take off I would have to call the police and get them involved and I hadn't ruled that out for the current situation. She was starting to say her goodbyes and thank you for being so helpful when the phone rang. It was her son. It was him driving slowly past just before she showed up here and was driving all over the area looking for her. His sister called him and said she wasn't there when she got home.

He said that three other people had left messages on his answering machine and one had mentioned giving her a ride to the corner I live on. Nobody had taken her into custody and kept her. They just let her go. I'm happy to say this had a happy ending. It worked out well for the son because I had gone through my mother running away. I was able to calm him down and let him know other people go through the same thing.

The poor guy was so worried he was shaking. He didn't seem mad about it but he wasn't very open about what he was going through. You could tell it was forcing him to make some mental adjustments. This isn't unusual when your a newbie caregiver or family member trying to deal with Alzheimer's.

Being experienced I gave him some tips and what he should consider doing so this doesn't happen again. All the talking in the world isn't going to give you the skills you need. It does help when something happens but experience gives you the skills. He seemed to look like the shaking had stopped. He was off to get home and tell everyone she was safe.

See what I mean. If things hadn't happened just the way they did. If mom hadn't kept coming in and asking me to come out to the back room and sit with her. She must have come in and asked me seven times. That's a pretty long time for her to stay focused on something. It was as if there was some guiding force nudging her to nudge me.

It seemed it was meant that I saw Ruth go past the door. I thought it strange that her name was Ruth. My mothers sister is also named Ruth. She also has Alzheimer's disease like symptoms. It might have been Ruth's last chance to get home safely. I didn't notice as it was happening but when it was over I thought how many things had to fall in place. I wonder was this all a coincidence or was there some sort of divine intervention happening.

In some strange way I feel like I was being gently guided into the right place at the right time. What do you think? Do you feel like you have ever been nudged or guided? To do something or that you ended up somewhere at a certain time that made you think. What if?

Alzheimer's Run Rabbit Run.

I noticed mom was making quite a few references to things that happened decades ago. I remembered this is what my friends father started doing right before he would stand on the front porch and wait for his wife to pick him up so they could "go home and he could watch what he wanted on his television". Well he was already at his current home and his wife was inside and so was his television and he could watch what ever he wanted.

We saw him in the middle of the front yard watching for his ride as days passed. You could tell the way his was moving around and where he was looking he was thinking about walking home. The home they used to live in years ago. After he started to become impatient about waiting it was evident he had to be kept in the house unless he had some one with him every time. He was under close supervision from then on but most of the time he didn't know it.

As time goes by memory gets worse and they will need you to watch them more. Be sneaky watching them or they may find it strange to see you staring at them every time they look your way. The progression is going to be different in each person that has Alzheimer's disease. The symptoms may be different and it gets worse. You need to be aware that as their memory degenerates the memories from earlier in their life will seem to them to be current memories of things that just happened a little while ago.

It is important to take action and get locks on the exterior doors that need to be locked and unlocked with a key on the inside as well as the outside. I put a second set of locks on our doors and I'll never forget that day. Let me tell you my personal story of the day I wished had never happened.

One day out of the blue I felt compelled to put new deadbolts on the exterior doors. I new sooner or later I would have to do it. Why not Now? I went and bought two double (inside/outside) keyed deadbolt locks. One for the back door and one for the front. It was winter so it was cold but it had been going up in the low 40's during the day. It was a late purchase and the stores were closing. I didn't buy new drill bits because I was sure I had what I needed at home or so I thought.

The back door was easy because it already had a deadbolt so all I had to do was take the old one out and put the new one in. The front door was metal on both sides with a wood core. Well it turns out that the hole saw I had was for installing deadbolts in wood doors only. It was hard but I made it threw the inside surface but when it came to drilling from the outside in the hole saw did nothing but take the paint off the metal. Great - all the stores were closed by then.

This is where I should have thought about why I decided to put the locks in this particular day. Why did that pop into my head when it did. This is one of those times the universe was giving me a little nudge by putting that urge in my head. I listened enough to get started but didn't finish. I had realized in the past when I get that type of feeling I had better get it done or the universe was going to set me up with a strong wake up call. I was just so exhausted by that point it didn't register.

Since mom had not tried to leave to this point I decided it would be sufficient to block the door. I placed stuff in front of the door that was heavy to me thinking that a 130 pound 88 year old woman with Alzheimer's disease couldn't move everything and get out. I was tired and not thinking at the time. What I should have done was take the door handle assembly out and put the lock in there until the next day. I could have pushed one of the reclining chairs in front of the door and slept in it.

The next morning I got out of bed and as I always do I went for a walk about the house to see where my mother was. I walked into the living room and saw everything I had placed to block the door was strewn across the room. How this happened without waking me up I don't know. Instant panic.

I had thought about what it might be like when I saw this happening to other families. I can tell you it's so far beyond that and nothing you want to go through. Never! I just woke up and wasn't all there yet. I was thrown into a state of instant panic. What do I do first. I felt every minute that passed and every decision could determine the outcome. The adrenalin was on overdrive and my heart pounding. I felt I had to act fast and no time to think about it. It felt like I was thrust into an altered state of consciousness.

I ran to the door and it was unlocked. I ran around the house to see if by chance my worst nightmare wasn't really happening. I looked behind anything that could hide a person that might have fell down or was hiding but she wasn't there. I ran outside and around the house and looked everywhere. Then I ran to the neighbors and asked them if they had seen her but again no sign of mom. I noticed the crossing guard that stands at out corner in front of our house and ran to ask her. She hadn't seen her either.

I didn't even know what time she got out of the house. I ran inside and dialed 911 for the police and had to tell them my mother was missing and she had Alzheimer's. We live on a corner property so I went out to the corner and looked down both streets. The crossing guard was keeping an eye open for her when she wasn't helping the kids cross the road. There's a school across the street from us.

I was at the end of the drive way and a police car pulled up and there was mom in the back seat. Looking at me with a smile like nothing had happened. All these years I thought it would be her looking at me in the back of a police car. The Officer asked if he had the right address and then pulled in the driveway.

She wasn't in bad shape after the walk she took. They found her a couple of miles away as the crow flies. She wasn't dressed for the weather. All she took with her was two clean pillow cases, an ash tray in her pocket and a pair of the large plastic sun glasses they give you at the eye doctor after they put those drops in your eyes that make it hard to see. No coat, no identification, no regular glasses and she didn't have her false teeth either.

It's really hard to understand what she's saying when she has her false teeth out. The police officer told me the name she had given to him and it was her maiden name. There was no way to connect her to our address until I called. Only about 5 percent of the people with Alzheimer's disease make it home safe when they take off. The police officer said they were looking for a man that had disappeared the day before and was hoping they could find him before it was to late.

This happened January 24, 2006 and it has haunted me every day since. I constantly check the door to see if I locked it. I even check it if I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I know I checked it before I went to bed. You do it so often that when I remember doing it I want to make sure I'm remembering doing it right before bed. Not some memory of doing it another time sneaking in and making me think I did it when I have not.

I try to lock the door right after I unlock it and go in or out. Even if I'm unloading the car after food shopping. This is important because I sometimes get so tired that I could fall asleep when I don't plan to take a nap or sleep. I've grabbed a cookie and sat down for a couple of of minutes to watch the weather on the evening news. The next I know I'm waking up an hour later with half a cookie on my chest and cookie still in my mouth.

Always do safety and security stuff right away. Don't tell yourself you'll come back and do it in a few minutes. You might think it's easier or more convenient now but it's not easier or convenient the one time you forget and it leads to tragedy. Do it now!

When mom ran away I had no indication it was going to happen. While I was searching the house for her I noticed she had collected several piles of belonging to take with her. I guess she would start one pile and look for something else to take with her and she would forget about the stuff she had already had together. I found a small plastic waste can she had loaded up with shoes and a strange choice of things to take. So if you find little stashes of things it might not be collecting, hoarding or organizing. It might be the person with Alzheimer's is planning to travel.

When a person has Alzheimer's disease they try to return to the places they went to in their youth. The street they found my mother was were a girl friend she worked with at Bell Telephone had an apartment. Right across the street from the apartment was a diner she would meet up with her friends and they would eat or just have coffee. Having Alzheimer's you don't know where they may end up.

I'm glad she had not headed for one of the places she lived before I was born. When she lived there it was well kept and safe all times of the day and night. I don't feel safe going to that area now in the daytime. Who knows what could of happened to her. Maybe nothing. Even in the worst places there can be a kind person that decides to help the helpless.

I take my job as caregiver very serious and pride myself in doing whatever it takes. It's strange the way you can do everything right time after time. The one time you mess up is the one time you can't afford to.