New Project

Harry is one of my primary mentors.
His example is a motivator
for taking time and energy to write my own blog,
and the many hours I spend to share the writing of others.

Below are 7 days out of Harry’s blog during January 2018:

January 9, 2018

Not a fun day out in my workshop today. I’m working on a project that has a 4-inch ball sitting on a stand that I turned, only to find a large crack running down the side of the stand making it worthless. I think the wood had moisture in it and when I brought it into the warm house, it shrank overnight and split.

Those things happen, and I decided to turn the ring that will go around the ball today. I want it to look like the planet Saturn that will sit on top of the new stand that I need to turn. I was happy with the ring but when I was separating it from the wood, it snapped. I turned another one and did the same thing. I gave it one more time and when I snapped the third one, I knew it was time to go inside and wait for another day.

My tools were sharp and the only thing I can thing of, is that I may be losing my sense of touch and pushing on the parting tool instead of leaving it cut. I will get this done, even if I need to cut down another tree. I am frustrated, but will never give up. I learn this with living with Alzheimer’s.

January 11, 2018

I had another anniversary which is a personal one for me. I have been living with the diagnosis of Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type for over 14 years. It is a bittersweet anniversary because so many times I have had a reason to give up but realized I couldn’t.

I have seen so much over these years and I’m very tired, but it is not my time. I know I am on borrowed time, but I still have work to do. I’ve seen so many fly by night remedies over the years that I’ve become skeptical of each miracle cure that comes out.

I take them with a grain of salt because I see them as false hope, someone trying to make a buck off people living with dementia. Someday a cure will be found, but until then we need to find ways to living an enjoyable life while living with dementia.

It kicked me off the mountain several times, but I finally got it done. I don’t know what to call it although several names came to mind during the mishaps. Such a simple design caused so much emotional distress, but I am so glad I decided to throw the mistakes into the burn barrel and not give up.

January 15, 2018

You turn my rain into sun just by sitting beside me and listening to me tell my stories. I live with Alzheimer’s but I’m no different then anyone else living with dementia.

I get lonely living in the World of Dementia and sometimes need someone not to advise me or carry my load, but to simply walk beside me. Our load gets lighter if we know someone cares.

…

Walking down the yellow brick road, stumbling every now and then, but wearing a smile on my face. I don’t allow the bumps along the way to become mountains, because I am determined to stay happy.

Sometimes the path leads off to a pity party, but I’m not interested, I’m enjoying living with dementia and nobody or anything is going to interfere with that.

Every so often I run into someone that wants to attend that pity party and I grab their hand telling them they don’t belong there, the real party lies ahead.

January 21, 2018

I often wondered during the progression of living with dementia, if your imagination diminishes or intensifies. I ask this because so often I look at Hazel and say, that squirrel is talking about me.

Living in the world of dementia is wonderful if you let your mind wonder and go where it wants to. You break all the barriers of common sense and see things others don’t.

Rather then if they are real or not is relative, they are real to you. You are free to see things most people will never see. Unfortunately some may be unpleasant but some may be like looking through a window into heaven.

January 23, 2018

What a day I had today. I sat outside on my deck, under a cloudless sunny day, for over an hour just contemplating the choices I made in my life. It is still cool outside but sitting there, I felt the suns warmth through my jeans.

Over the past several months, too many of my friends, passed away and those thoughts start to weigh you down. I was able to come to terms with their deaths and understand the cycle of life. Everyone of them is free from their dementia and in a better place.

Then I went into my shop to do some “work”. I promised Hazel to empty the central vacuum and I want to better organize everything in my shop. I finished emptying the vacuum and looked over at my lathe and completely forgot my plans for the day.

When we went on our cruise, I got a medallion of the ship and I wanted to turn something to remember the wonderful time we had, and this little voice said, now is a good time to do that. The time fly by and this is what I accomplished. I guess getting back to organizing my shop will need to wait until tomorrow.

January 28, 2018

We look into each other’s eyes and can feel the pain without uttering a word. Learning to read and understand body language is most important in caring for someone living with dementia.

We can hide the pain, but our bodies will show we hurt. We will not tell you verbally what is wrong, but our eyes or the sudden grimaces are giving you hints. There is plenty of information on learning how to read body language and I encourage all or care partners to begin learning about body langiage.

* . * . *

Above is excerpted with his permission, from Harry’s blog at >> http://mythoughtsondementia.com/blog.html

His Index of pages on my blog is at >> https://truthfulkindness.com/index-persons-with-dementia-pwd/harry-urban/

Photo is of Harry’s craft project finished 11 Jan 2018.

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