Posted 1/20/23
The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. -Prov 18:15
Hi all! I hope your week went well and your forgiveness bucket is full for the lack of blog posts this week. It seems I am buried and just haven’t had time despite having approximately 20 articles that are not as time-sensitive baking in the oven. I will soon switch back to 3x per week…likely in March when I finish my 2nd Master’s Degree (Yes, I needed that degree like I needed another chin…but it has been very helpful).
So, last night I was blessed to attend a really cool event put on by the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter. It was called Night With the Experts and it was, in short, a night with the experts! We first enjoyed an encouraging and helpful presentation by Dr. Rebecca Edelmayer, Senior Director of Scientific Engagement with the Alzheimer’s Association. She highlighted the nearest research (for one, LEQEMBI . the artist formerly known as Lecanemab) and the newest detection methods, covering the status of blood test research (coming along GREAT!!!) and Retinal scans, of which I was pretty unfamiliar (Info here ). She also discussed AlzNet, which has tremendous (!!) potential as a data aggregator/collector. There is a lot of data to be looked at and, as new drugs are released, we can learn from them…so we collect it with no identity attached and learn! We live in a tremendously strong and growing tech world…why not use the good parts for good????? I mean, we can do this and this (not endorsing this speaker…but it does cover the topic well), why not cure this stinkin’ disease before it kills the currently over 6 million diagnosed?!
Next we had Sara Hill, DNP from Cox Health System’s Neurology Clinic, who shared a host of very practical information about the disease, treatments, and prevention. She also contributed greatly to the Q&A section.
Last, Neurologist Curtis P. Schreiber, M.D. shared what is going on as close as Bolivar, Missouri in research. He too was incredibly optimistic and insightful, covering misnomers about the illness, sharing decades of experience, and telling stories.
I, and the couple of hundred in the room, feasted on the science, and drank in the hope like life-giving water on a hot day, and we left better for it. Thank you to all of the panelists and to the Greater Missouri Alzheimer’s Association for putting this presentation together! I only wish that there were a couple of 0s added to the end of the audience size and more media represented…
Next thing I need to share is a book I listened to on Audible. It is called “Alzheimer’s Trippin’ with George” and was written by Susan Straley. The Audible link is here: https://www.audible.com/pd/B07ZQD429R?source_code=ASSOR1500219210011 It was narrated well by Robin Siegerman. Here are the strengths of this wonderful story:
- The story itself was sweet.
- The writer blended in caregiving stories, exercises and challenges, warts and all, with lots of good times. We need tips and sad stories to help relate, but we also need joy…and this book did well at that.
- It personalized the disease.
I would generally recommend it to anyone in the community. She is much more left-leaning than I am and had some colorful language and ideas at times, so, like anything including my blog, eat the meat and spit out the bones.
One thing I was struck by in this book is something that I, in my Christian, Midwestern mindset had never considered, and found quite sad: Susan, the writer, and her husband made a pact that if something like this ever happened to them, they would quickly get a divorce to save the other partner money. Then, in the book, soon after their 40th anniversary celebration, she discussed the topic a couple of times briefly, as still a consideration. George, her husband, cried thinking about it. Paranoia and confusion are hallmarks of where he is at this stage, so there is no way he understands that it is a “financial divorce”. She needs guidence… I reached out to a couple of folks that understand law better than I to see if that is even a thing… I will get back to you on that. However, it seems terrible. I know I am offering a value judgment here, but so be it. I know there are other ways to mitigate the nursing care minefield. Google the following: Medicaid-Approved Annuity and Medicaid-Approved Promissory Note. These two instruments will allow you to avoid the spend down that Medicaid usually requires. Please, please, please, talk to an Elder Law Lawyer…not your cousin Jimbo that knows law and plumbing and Cardinals Trivia.
I would love your take on this book…I gave it a good review on Audible. 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend, friends. I hoe you get enough rest…
Mom update: I have visited several times lately. She still has some chest rumble, but she seems to have turned the corner again away from the pneumonia. The sleeps nearly all day now, even during eating. We have them giving her frequent eye drops as the endless starting when she is awake dries her out and she, and grandma, have/had dry eyes in common. Hospice is still treating her great. I get to go 3-6 days a week and my stepfather goes every day for lunch. My sibs go too when they are near. We have her blanketed with care and with love as best we can. Keep praying for a cure if not for mom, for the other millions in which the damage is not yet done. Someday, very soon, we will #EndALZ Every day, it seems, something is learned and published. Grab the Science Hub app from your app store to keep track of where the science is.
To the sisters at my table in the event tonight, I wish you each well! I really enjoyed sitting with you and sharing 🙂
One last thing I should have mentioned: I now have my own SeniorAge fundraiser link! 🙂 Here it is: https://senioragemo.org/about-us/donate/
Scroll down in the designated to section and you will see it. 🙂
Here is my Longest Day Fundraiser link for the Alzheimer’s Association:
https://act.alz.org/site/TR?px=14575499&fr_id=16164&pg=personal
Just getting the ball rolling for 2023! 🙂 Ground floor donation opportunity!?!?! 🙂 Please and thank you.
My shark-jumpin’ goal is $10,000 this year. It will take som,e work for sure. I am training…and am looking for a sponsor or two to help supplement the individual donations. I will put logos on the shirts I sell for sure. 🙂
