Posted 7/15/20
“As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things.” -Micah 7:15
As a reminder, this series is going through the warning signs of dementia found at this link: LINK. This series may be a little more important and a little less light, but it is worth it. 🙂
Growing up an Applegate, and I expect many other last names share the story, my favorite Saturday morning activity was watching cartoons. Most notably, Looney Tunes. Many a Saturday morning saw mom in the kitchen whipping up eggs and bacon while my siblings, my dad, and I sat on the floor in front of our console watching such gens as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Foghorn Leghorn, and my personal favorite…Wile-E-Coyote and the Roadrunner. The latter canine was a thinker and a problem solver. Somedays I feel like I model my professional life after this amazing coyote. Here is just one cartoon of his brilliant problem solving (note here: his problem was always the same…how to turn an unlimited budget into a device or plan that will catch a particular roadrunner for supper) :
Problem solvers often takes multiple tries before finding a solution. That is the norm…nothing much to see there. Here are a few examples: Link Link Link . Now, I tend toward the project management side of IT at this juncture of my career although I am also a help desk pro, a systems guy and a network guy. One of the keys to effective project management is being sure that you solve a problem effectively and quickly and on budget…something my mentor in the desert was weak in. I have worked hard to become a good problem solver, and work on it daily to maintain. Keeping in mind as we plow through these warning signs over the next 2 weeks that there is some overlap, in the context of our little study of warning signs, what does the dementia kind of trouble problem-solving look like?
- Trouble following a recipe, perhaps one you used to barely need because it was memorized.
- Often forgetting when a bill is due or that you have a certain bill
- Forgetting steps in doing things. Example: turning on the car before putting it in drive or not putting detergent in the washer.
- Getting confused and forgetting what project you were working on mid-project.
- Problems understanding directions
- Problems planning for things even using a calendar
- Abnormal issues with very basic math.
- Changes….
There are levels of concern with these. We all experience lapses here and there. However, are these getting bad enough to disrupt daily living? If so…PLEASE talk to your doctor and/or a specialist. The time is now. Don’t wait until the problem becomes Wile-E-Coyote-sized such that even Acme can’t help.
#EndALZ
Update: I had a nice visit with mom outside, in the breeze, this morning. I included a cute video of it below. She seemed pretty darn good, all things considered. 🙂
Dad Joke of the Day: Why did the blind man fall in the well? Because he couldn’t see that well. (Thanks Brian…)
Last note of the piece….I was on TV yesterday with friends from the Alzheimer’s Association. Here is the article and video:
Here is the video I promised from today: