Posted 7-22-19
Anybody else out there at the Digital Cornbread table have a pet peeve? You know, that thing that reaaallly bugs you when you see it in the wild? Well, unfortunately for my character, I have as many pet peeves as Adrian Monk has phobias. Here are just a few that come to mind:
- Overzealous armchair politicians
- People who talk during events that are supposed to be listening (concerts, meetings, etc…)
- CBD Oil…everything about it and the dope from whence it came
- People that pick on others (like I used to)
- People who claim expert status because they have “read about it on the Internet”
- Fine print
- Oxford commas
- Chalkboards
- Doubleknit
- Suade
- Too hot, too cold…I like it just right
- Calling it Psalms 23 instead of Psalm 23…or Revelations 3 instead of Revelation 3.
- Slaughtering the context of Bible verses and selling it on product
- Waiting in line for 2 hours for a roller coaster then not fitting under the straps. 🙁
- Glasses fitting sessions
- Loud music (and you there…kid…get off my lawn)
- Mowing my lawn that the kid shouldn’t have been standing on.
- Pet peeve hypocrisy
- and many, many, many more… I look forward to seeing your comments (Not YOU’RE comments).
- Oh, and I forgot an important one: Dumb drivers, most notably in bad weather like today.
I bring PPs up because of that last one. Why do people save their worst driving (and that says a lot) for bad weather. One of the very best examples happened today, yet again. In heavy rain, people drove too fast AND, more irritating, they drove without their headlights on! Before sunrise. In the stinkin’ rain! What, do they expect me to use The Force or possibly echolocation to know they are there??????????????????? Ahhhhhhh!
(Calming down…cleansing breaths…finding my happy place…)
So I survived my drive to work today in a thunderstorm. (Note: People should just stay off of the highway when I drive…we will all be happier. I am typically writing these pieces as I drive, so my driving isn’t always with complete concentration. I am working on that…) While I was driving after one of the many near-death experiences, it occurred to me that needing headlights, like recognizing dementia, is a matter of perspective and/or contrast.
Why do you think everyone doesn’t just leave their headlights on 24-7-365/6? Without the perspective provided by the darkness, often in life it is super hard to understand the value of lights. I realize that is an odd statement, but think of it at face value. Leaving your headlights on in the bright daylight really doesn’t do squat. Forgetting to turn them on at 5am does do squat! I didn’t see mom’s advancing dementia over the 7-8 years after her initial diagnosis with “a mild form of dementia” because it wasn’t dramatically different. It is a working version of the boiling frog dilemma. I really didn’t have the disease on my RADAR since everyone I had lost from it had passed away what seemed like a long time ago. Mom had been stealthy with the extent of her memory loss and cognitive impairment such that nobody noticed it. We all tended to just chalk it up to her “getting a little older” and more forgetful. It wasn’t until those Q&A sessions that we fully realized the extent of loss/darkness their was.
My point this morning? I guess I am just suggesting, in a round-about way, to ask questions whether or not there is a huge contrast as a backdrop. Don’t wait until you have an “Oh Crap moment” like I did before you get the doctor involved. There are many, many conditions in life that look like Alzheimer’s and can be treated and there are some treatments that will prolong the earlier, somewhat easier parts of the disease if you catch it early enough….but you have to know what is going on early! When in doubt, have the conversation. Here are some tips for knowing when it might be the right time.
I have been told by more mature Christians (and I have been working on it!) to let go of the pet peeves. Nobody is perfect. We all have flaws and issues that can be irritating (Like my odd words and excessive use of ellipses…..and emojis). I will make you a deal… (sorry, I did it again….habits are hard to break. 🙁 )… I will commit to working on my pet peeves if you will commit to having the tough conversations about this disease with a loved one that needs it. Fair enough? (And stay off my lawn!…. ;( )
Update on mom: Today is moving day moving her to be with the general population. I am hoping for a great outcome, but am willing, if needed, to have her moved back. We have started decorating her side of her new room. The only stumbling block is the new roomie listens to TV super loud. We’ll see…stay tuned.
#EndALZ