The Autumn of Our Lives

 

 

Bill and I always had this kind of side plan when we reached the Autumn of our lives, we would migrate south and become snowbirds.  But sometimes life throws us a game changer, our wings have been clipped - in our case the game changer is called Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).  For the past couple of years we have been tracking its' path, trying to find out what was going on, the diagnosis is challenging and often confused with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's early-on. LBD affects an estimated 1.3 million people in the United States.  The easiest way to look at it is to picture an umbrella which represents Parkinson's.  At each point hanging down from the umbrella is a variation of these diseases.  One could be Alzheimer's, another Parkinson's, Lewy Body  Dementia, Parkinson's with dementia, the list seems endless.

 

The main symptoms: Dementia, movement problems (parkinsonism) fluctuating cognition, attention, alertness, visual hallucinations, REM sleep behavior disorder, extreme sensitivity to antipsychotic medications, personality changes (depression, delusions, apathy) and changes in autonomic (involuntary) nervous system (blood pressure, bladder and bowel control)

 

We have followed the search the same as many affected by this heart-breaking disease.  First diagnosis: Parkinson's, next diagnosis - Degenerative Dementia with Parkinsonism features, Alzheimer's, and finally what I have come to suspect for quite some time, Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism Features.

One remembers driving skills for a long time since they are learned quite young, however, the problem arises in the unexpected situations that can arise (deer run out in front) and wrong turns, spatial problems (parking) etc.

 

It seems we will try to sail along taking one day at a time, but at the same time we must plan for a very different Autumn of our Life.

Sleepy Guy

This month we visited the neurologist in Springfield for the six month check-up.  Just driving there and back is exhausting for both of us.  It is a very quiet drive because Bill is still driving, but needs the quiet to concentrate, his nerves are already rattled just leaving the house.  So often now if he does go with me for shopping, he prefers to wait in the car and cat-nap.  As hot as it is getting, I hope no one turns me in for elder abuse.  I digress. This visit turned out to be a dud for both of us.  We are always frustrated and confused as we leave and as always this is the case.  This time the doctor asked Bill how his driving was? Bill replied, "Better than ever." The doctor then looks at me. I raise my eyebrows and softly say, "and accompanied by me."  To which Bill then states quite bluntly he has been driving for well over forty years and doesn't need any help from me!  The doctor never looks up from his notes and says, "According to the driver eval, you could be driving with a stranger beside you rather than your wife and that might not be as nice."  We then move on to another sore subject: lawn mowing - grrr.  I make my point, Bill makes his point.  Are we in marriage counseling or the principal's office?  We leave with a note describing our bitch session.  I think perhaps I am the one with the problem, my husband is slipping just a bit everyday and everyone seems to be blind to it.  His personal grooming is going down hill.  His words are becoming mixed up.  His naps are becoming longer.  People in denial still say the same thing, "Could it be the medicine he is taking that makes him so sleepy?" Perhaps, I need a tattoo on each arm one for me that says, "This is not Bill, this is the disease," and one on the other arm for friends and relatives that says, "this is not an effect of medication - this is a symptom of the disease." Why would anyone take medication for a blank expression, stooped shoulders, shuffling walk, extreme tiredness, and agonizingly aching muscles? I could go on, but I am so grateful I still have Bill and he is still able to verbally express things quite well.  In fact, I am seeing a new Bill who observes things he never took interest in

Crappieking 2009

 

Crappieking 2014

 


Bill and his most beautiful kitty

Grandie starting to practice driving boat

Another beautiful day at the lake

 before, like sunsets, clouds, all things in nature have become so beautiful and music makes him feel good. 

One Day at a Time

"One day at a time," that's how we roll these days.  I thought I would give you a bit of an update on the Crappie King.  We went the end of April to Mercy Hospital for his second driver evaluation and he passed:) The only change was he went from driving locally to driving locally with me accompanying him.  Driving is such an important part of independence.  There has been some more cognitive decline just since November.  The memory medicine known as "Exelon" has been doubled to see if this might help to slow it down.  Bill thinks he has Parkinson's.  At first I thought this might be because of the stigma in our society regarding the rainbow of dementias such as Alzheimer's, but now I am beginning to think he is just stuck on the Parkinson's term because that was the official diagnosis in the beginning of this path we are now on.  I find it strange how some very close to Bill don't notice it and how some strangers pick up on it immediately.  Perhaps it is because of our love for Bill that we don't want to accept what is happening or maybe because

Last Labor Day and this Memorial Bill needed help with his beloved Pinata game.

Bill always wanted to pass his love of fishing on, think he has succeeded

Time marches on grandchildren growing up

Nobody moves the  old "Lion King" out of his chair at the fish fry

Bill has captured a stray kitty and the grandies named her "Minnow."

 others have walked this trail before us and easily recognize it, and also because Bill is just like many others in this disease  able to still fake it for short periods of time, so it is hard to believe.  Medically this is referred to as "shining for loved ones," in Bill's case, it's easy to remember he was a "gifted bull-shitter."

One Day At A Time

The Long, Cold Winter

 

Bill's cat warmers, Stinky and Walleye

 

 

 



Hopefully, it is almost over.  Although the Farmer's Almanac suggests we may be in for one more dose.  We've lived at the lake since '82 and this is the second time we have seen the main channel froze.

Throwing rocks at a new beaver dam

 

 





 

Sushi loving cat will go out side long enough to hunt fish

It seemed like Bill and our old cat, Stinky, couldn't get warm enough.  Frequently, they warm each other. Bill is doing well.  He is now the recipient of a handicapped parking placard and a handicapped hunting permit.  Our oldest grandson is working to complete his boating safety course to assist with a favorite hobby - crappie fishing!

 

 

 



 

Even though it was colder than normal, it was a fish-loving cat's delight! Shad from under the ice feed lots of nature.

 





Forget Me Not Wreath



Thinking back, we know now it probably had already started back in 2005.  We had just come back from going to the US Supreme Court to hear an argument regarding the case connected to Bill's parents' murders. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deck_v._Missouri
Bill began to frequently have violent dreams/nightmares where he thrashed, screamed, kicked and hit. I would mention these episodes to people and they would just laugh - it was hard to picture mellow, easy-going Bill talking like something from the movie, The Exorcist.  Eventually, time passed and as some got stuck sharing a hotel room with him, it became an experience they never wanted to repeat.  I mentioned these night time freak episodes and doctors attributed it to night terrors brought on by the murders and the on-going trials and appeals ie. news article  Another thing that happened at least that far back - Bill could no longer smell things. We never gave that loss of smell a second thought.  People always brought up so and so who couldn't smell any more either and then the subject would change. In 2012, Bill kept going to his General Doctor and they kept running tests and running tests till finally the doctor began to hint: perhaps seek an opinion from a neurologist.
We went on vacation in January 2013 to Cancun and it was unbelievable the amount of time spent running to the bathroom - going and not going (one or two) had become a frustrating issue.  Almost immediately upon return, Bill noticed his hand turned blue - dark blue.  That did it, he called; It was March before we could get him in.  We went to the neurologist, he asked questions, did some small physical tests and pronounced, "You have Parkinson's." He put him on the standard Parkinson's meds.  We went back in three months. I mentioned I felt there was more going on.  The doctor didn't seem to care for my butting in.  I went home, called the National Parkinson's number and got the name of a Movement Disorder Neurologist.  In the mean time I asked Bill's regular MD to order a neuro-psych test. He did that in May, several flags showed up.  In the mean time we waited to get in to the Movement Disorder Clinic in September. It was an all day appointment. We met, a nurse, a speech pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, a counselor and the Movement Disorder Doctor.  Each person evaluated Bill, then they met with the doctor and then he, the nurse and the counselor came back in with their thoughts. He did not quite fit the pattern of a person with Parkinson's, but instead the features, called Parkinsonism. He had also scored very low on cognitive testing and they wanted another cognitive testing to be done.  This was done the end of September and we met back with the doctor in October. His diagnoses: Degenerative Dementia with Parkinsonism features.  He immediately put Bill on a memory medication to help slow down the memory loss.  He also put him on an anxiety medication and an anti-depressant, not to mention all the stuff Bill took over the counter for number two issues.  When able to find my voice again, "I asked Alzheimer's?"  He said, Definitely not, there is Lewy Body, Vascular, and Frontal Lobe and other dementias. The real true way to tell is by testing a piece of the brain.  You don't want to do that do you Bill?"  "No way."  With the way of Google it didn't take long to study up and determine which one he most likely matched up with - Lewy.

Happy Holidays

Green Cabin Circa 1955

Some may think there is very little to do at the lake during the winter months, however, if you like quiet and solitude, it is the greatest place to reflect while sipping a cup of cuppa, and watch birds...







Grandest Grandie - Lauren

Perhaps it's time to plan a hunt with a young grandson, with hope of passing a tradition and memories of a lifetime along...

 



Grandsons: Lucas and Nicholas

 

 

Photo by Jacquie from Memories Lane

Your never to old to enjoy a snow day!





 

 

 



Season Change

 

As fall begins it's a nice time to look back.

Reflect on fun places,

Jolly Rogers on the Gravois Arm of Lake Ozark

good family,

Sedalia League

 

Kirby's School of Wake
 

 

Resting after wakeboarding

and delicious drinks.

The Jerk Shack

Let's repeat it again when the leaves change their colors in different ways! Let's observe more nature...the beauty we have today is gone tomorrow.

Cicada

American Toad
 

 



Season is Now in Full Swing

Busy as bees has a true ring around here recently.  Summer has definitely arrived.  Everywhere you turn you hear birds chirping, boats buzzing and frogs croaking in the evening.

 

People never seem to surprise us by their kindness.  After a particularly hard week, one couple who rode their Harley down our gravel road gifted us with a wine glass from our local dealer. Now, I can enjoy a bigger glass of wine!  Thanks to our many guests who make this endeavor nice. 

 

 



It's Almost Here!

 

The beautiful weather is almost here.  The grandies want to run barefoot in the grass - take their shirts off, play ball and go fishing!

However, weekend after weekend we see the promise of warm air, only to have it be replaced with clouds, rain and even snow.  It's supposed to be spring!  According to the Redbud and the Dogwood trees it's spring.  According to the white perch (crappie) it is spring.  At least that's what the Crappieking tells me, "caught my limit." But the wind in the air is the true indicator for me.  I can get by with cold temps, due to hot flash heater working overtime, but if the wind is blowing - forget it.  Snow in May, how crazy is that, but then again - this is Missouri!



March

Where else can you stay at the cabins and enjoy three seasons in one weekend at Lake of the Ozarks?  You can if you come in March.  We have a couple that stays the same weekend every year for their anniversary.  Friday was shorts weather, Saturday was put your raincoat on day, and Sunday morning is a beautiful, white snow!  You have to love March!

Prefishing for a tournament




 

Birthday Season

Right after Christmas, birthday season arrives at our house! It starts with our youngest grandson, Will. A week later it's one to be forgotten - mine! Two weeks later it's our oldest daughter - Nicci. A week later's it's the Crappie King's - another to be forgotten. And on the last day of February it's another grandson - Luke's bday. It's good to be Aquarian!

     One might think there is very little to do at the lake in the winter months, but throw that cold thought out the door.  Today, after a huge biscuit and gravy breakfast, we headed out the door with all the grandies.  Eagle Days at the Lake is in its' fifth season. Last year we caught the Eagles seminar at Osage National Golf Resort.
This year we headed to Osage Heritage School for the Owl seminar.  It was totally cool; the grandies and the adults gave it two thumbs up - something hard to do with so many different ages in our herd! Grandpa mentioned that in order to do every venue offered for Eagles Day it would take two days. I think we'll just keep doing it one chunk at a time!

Screech Owl

Grandie observation
 

Barred Owl



Great Horned Owl

Crappieking's baby sister holding our only girlie grandie!
 

The holidays are upon us. Twelve of us took a trip to Dallas over Thanksgiving to visit with the CrappieKing's baby sister.  We looked a bit like a caravan toodling down the hwy.  The grandies look forward to the fact that it is still warm enough to swim in a pool in TX vs MO. When you're a kid, there's nothing like eating your turkey and swimming it off all afternoon with your cousins.
Life is good!






Heated pools are the greatest!



 

Let's Play Tourist



Sunday morning we filled our bellies with biscuits and gravy, jumped in the truck and headed to the other side of the lake to:  Ha Ha Tonka state park.



Rules for fishing

It had been years since we went with the girl scouts. Now, our girl scouts have little scouts of their own! I'm not sure how that happened so fast!  There are many things to see when visiting, plus breath taking views of the castle,

Picture perfect



the spring, and lake below. The little scouts were quite excited to see a muskrat on a log in the water, while the rest of us tried to think of that old song from 1976, by Captain and Tenille, "Muskrat Love." The bigger scouts became enthused upon seeing some large trout suspended in the clear water.    



How to catch trout



Trout hangout





If you get a chance to visit us here at the lake, take a day to wander at

Ha Ha Tonka.  You won't regret it.





photo Op



View from above at the castle





There's A Monster In Our Yard!

There's a monster that comes out after dark in our yard.  Each day we see where the monster has dug more holes in the yard and ran crazy through our flower beds.  We can no longer see beautiful mulch! It looks like we hoed around what flowers the desperate deer have not munched to the ground in this year of the drought.


Scare him and he'll jump straight up in the air, due to poor vision



Time was one only saw these monsters in Texas, but they are slowly creeping north. Yes, it is the Armadillo, derived from the Spanish term, "little armored one." Nine bands cover the body, a hard shield protects the face, even their tails are covered in rings. Only the belly is soft, their legs and claws are very strong to help dig for dinner.  They can weigh from two to twenty pounds and eat up to 200 pounds of insects in a year.  They do not fair well in cold, maybe we will have an early winter since we had an early spring?  Wishful thinking on my part.

An interesting fact from history - President Herbert Hoover promised a chicken in every pot.  However, this did not pan out and many took to cooking armadillos, nick-named "Hoover Hogs."

Something's Burning - I think it's me.

   

Pink Knock-Out Roses


This was our forecast, April and May will be much cooler than normal, with near-normal precipitation. Summer will be drier and cooler than normal, on average, despite hot spells in early and late July. If expected rains do not come in June, drought will be an issue.
September and October will be cooler and rainier than normal, with snow in late October.


Gladiola



A record-breaking heat wave in Missouri.  In late June and early July, we broke several hot temperature records. I fear my electric bill.

So far, this forecast has been fairly consistent. Our spring was quite warm and we are now in a drought. We almost get giddy if we see a gray cloud. We frown when said cloud blow on past. The other day the radio mentioned one had to be 58 years of age to remember it being this hot for this long. I mentioned this to my better half, by stating I probably didn't remember much of it I was so young. At this point he informed me I was 57, not 58, so at least one good thing has come out of this heat - I have become younger!

Little Lime before it cooked in over 100 degree temperatures

 Last summer we had so much rain, we hardly had to water the yard or our flower gardens.  This year we drag the hose around and water all day long and still plants are cooking in the ground. What hasn't died has been consumed by deer. Our hostas have been consumed, along with purple coneflowers, knock-out roses, even Virginia creeper has been chomped up like a precious delicacy.  Even with watering the grass is brown where the sun hits it all day. I will close with a picture of our beautiful knock-out roses before the hot weather and the deer worked them over. Last winter I made the decision to get rid of Stella O'Day lilies the deer ate, and I feel the hostas may follow the same path for something less yummy to our four legged neighbors.

Rumor Has It

Rumor has it now that Dollar General has arrived in our neck of the woods  it is the largest store built recently.  Another rumor is that it out sold all the area Dollar General Stores Memorial Weekend.  One thing I do know, I have yet to drive by that there aren't at least 2 cars parked there shopping, normally there are several cars parked out front and it is unbelievable by the weekend.

Another rumor has it that we are now going to see a motel of some sort - either on Y-10 or across from Dollar General.  How can this be we asked at? However, as we thought about it, the more sense it made.  There is rarily a weekend goes by that there are not fishing tournaments underway all year round.  Where do all these fishermen with plain and beautiful bass boats stay when not tearing up the water for the perfect fish?After all Coffman Beach Public Launch is very close by. When I hear more on this interesting story, I will keep you apprised. In the mean time, the water temperature is 81 degrees and I will leave you to ponder a quote by A. K. Best, "The fishing was good, it was the catching that was bad."



Me trying out a $20 fishing chair.



Grandie thinks it was made for her!



Life with a Dollar at the Lake

Rocky Mount, Missouri is showing signs of growth with the opening of the largest Dollar General in Missouri.  I am not sure what the thinking for this was, but it made me happy.  We have all taken turns trying to figure out how we ended up with this Dollar General. Some think the owner must live nearby, while others think Dollar General knows just how many fishermen and lake lovers truck through here in the summer, and others hope to see them sell the main staples in life - beer, worms and minnows!



Fish Boots



Fish Crocs



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           



Big carp.



The photos above to the left and right feature our youngest grandson, Will. The pic to the right is our eldest grandson, Nicholas. It seems Bill, aka Grandpa Grandpa Grandpa has done his best to turn each grandchild including the one girl in the bunch of five into pro fishermen.  They say more money is spent each year in the sport of fishing than all other sports combined.  I'm not sure if I believe it, but we do buy worms and minnows quite regularly. 



Bask, I mean BASS!