Introducing myself

jackieyo · **Posted:** Tue Dec 04, 2007 10:19 pm

Marcie and Louise,
Welcome to our wonderful forum. Please come and vent, laugh and cry with us. You will love it here.

Hope to hear from you both soon!

Jackie

Katerin · **Joined:** Sat Nov 03, 2007 12:41 am **Posts:** 268

Warm welcome Marcie and Louise! So glad you are with us. Love Katerin

Deelynn · **Joined:** Sat Oct 20, 2007 12:50 pm **Posts:** 162

It feels so comfortable, cozy and gentle in this wonderful place. I'm pretty sure I introduced myself somewhere along the line but I'll do it again just in case.
I'm Deb. I helped take care of my father after his 1999 diagnosis. He lived three years, most of that time in a nursing home nearby.
After he passed I wrote a book. My book, Into the Mist, When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer's Disease, was a labor of love. I pulled together experts from many fields and hopefully the book has helped other caregivers.
I'm a mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and wife. We have five grandchildren, two poodle (one tiny toy and one HUGE standard).
We live in Illinois and my friends in this forum mean the world to me.
God bless all who come here needing help and offering their support to others.
My website is www.intothemist.us

Jeri B · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:58 am

[font=Tahoma]Hello everyone. My name is Jeri. I live in Springfield, Oregon and am primary caregiver for my mother. I am an only child so most all of Mom's care falls to me. I have a son that lives here, too and helps when he can. My very best friend in the whole world is probably my biggest source of support as far as giving me some time away from Mom.

Mom was officially diagnosed early in the year, but 6 months later when tested again the Dr. said her mental capacity had diminished by half, but we were noticing signs four or five years ago. We now have her on home health and a program called "Bridge to Hospice". We have made the decision to keep Mom at home and not put her in an ALF. Sometimes I wonder if that was the right choice.

When my mom had to quit working, we knew that she would go down hill rapidly and she has. I now have a real hard time getting her to shower. She thinks there are people in the house when there are not. I know this is all part of the disease process, but it doesn't make it easier and I don't have to like it. :cry:

So I guess that is all about me. Thanks for being here.[/font]

BIGSKYGIRL · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:55 pm

Welcome Jeri! I am sorry for what you are going through, but really glad you have found us. If you have any specific questions, start a New Topic, in General Discussions, and trust me, someone, or alot of someones, will get back to you, and try to help. There are allot of VERY knowledgeable, and kid-hearted folks on here, that have been through the gambet. From beginning to end, and I bet you will not have a single experience, that someone else has not already had!

There are certain medications that can help allot, with the hallucinations, but I will let someone else tell you about them, that have had direct experience, good or bad.

"WELCOME!" :wink:

Lori1955 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:48 pm

Welcome Jeri. I'm glad you found us. Just keep on posting. We are here for you.

Carol · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:57 pm

Hi Jeri, and Welcome!
Carol

Louise · **Joined:** Sun Dec 02, 2007 2:08 am **Posts:** 33

Hello Jeri:
Warm welcomes to you. Totally understand your trials and tribs, as I know everyone on this forum do.
I spend a lot of hours reading through all of the subjects and postings and I must say they are full of comfort
just knowing that there are so many others that have traveled these hills and valleys before me and with me.
I am caregiver for my 87 y.o. Mother with AD (6th stage ?) and she is living with me and my retired husband.

Louise

Aitan · **Posted:** Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:39 am

Hello Jeri.. just giving you a warm welcome to the site. Hope you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and stories here. Looking forward to your posts

~Aitan

Intrepid · **Joined:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:00 pm **Posts:** 11

Hello all! I found your site from the other one (ahem) when I was looking for the latest installment of QM/FT (hope I got that right), and also for reports from Joyce on how Bill was doing. Didn't see them there, so I kept looking back and finally saw that someone had posted this site.

I had registered on the Alz Board back a number of months ago but only posted in the beginning. I mostly read and absorbed. The reason I didn't want to post much there was because, frankly, I really didn't want to be hit with a "How wonderful it is you can care for your mother, you can show her love, you can go into a deeper level of your relationship with her, just as I did with my dear wife J****." I'm sorry - I'm just so tired of folks who think they know best and think they're so much better than I am in how I live my life. Couldn't stand it anymore.

So I'm glad to be here. Mom was diagnosed with Dementia (don't know which kind - which is one thing we're going to do in the new year) back in Feb 2006, but she had been showing signs of having the disease years before the diagnosis.

I am the only one of my 3 sibs who is single or who doesn't have kids, so I live with Mom now to care for her. The other bits of my story will come out as the days roll on, but I guess that's it for now.

I'm so glad to be here and I look forward to being a FULL PARTICIPANT here, as opposed to just being a "reader".

Bless you all!

Lori1955 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:17 pm

Welcome Intrepid. I'm so glad you found us. this is a wonderful caring group here. It is a safe place to post. Keep on posting.

Intrepid · **Joined:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:00 pm **Posts:** 11

Lori1955 wrote:

Welcome Intrepid. I'm so glad you found us. this is a wonderful caring group here. It is a safe place to post. Keep on posting.

Thanks, Lori. I responded to a few of your posts/threads back when I first joined over there (under a different nic) - I so love how you cared for Helen, and how you never allowed yourself to not see humor in things that truly were humorous. The story of how she called out from the living room/den and told you something like "I know I'm here but I don't know who I am", or something like that, just tickled me. She must have been the most extraordinary woman. Your story of friendship has touched me deeply.

Thanks for the welcome. I think I'll be here lots, just complaining or asking or giving a hug and love when others need it.

Carol · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:31 pm

Welcome Intrepid!
Your timing couldn't be more perfect!
We are having a New Years Eve party tonight with music,
food, drink, and all kinds of rowdiness. Check out Creative
Outlet at the bottom of the forum index and join in!
Oh, and if you have talent in the way of posting graphics
or links to music, etc., people like me (idiots in that respect)
will kiss the ground you walk upon...

Carol

jackieyo · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:58 pm

Intrepid and Jeri,

Welcome to you both. This forum is a wonderful place and you will love it here. I have been on this new forum since Oct., and the support we get from one another is amazing. I also have a Mom, 84, that I am caring for. She's at stage 4-5, and who know's sometimes 6. Each day is so different.

Keep on posting with us. Believe me, we need all the help we can get. Again welcome! We're here for you!

Jackie

J Winslow · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2008 3:08 am

To all who have joined this safe haven,

I am so glad you have chosen to join this wonderfully gentle and compassionate forum.

My experience here can best be summed up by a quote from C. S. Lewis, "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What! You, too? Thought I was the only one'."

So, welcome and know you are not the only one. You are now among friends.

Joyce

Introducing myself

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