" ALZHEIMER'S - BIG TIME " !!

MIKE CAN COME UP WITH SOME OF THE FUNNIEST THINGS LATELY.  I GUESS I NEED MORE EVIDENCE THAT HE REALLY DOES SUFFER FROM ALZHEIMER'S, SO HE IS MAKING SURE I HAVE PLENTY!!!  YESTERDAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT FONDA (OUR YOUNGEST DAUGHTER) WHO SAID SHE WOULD BE OVER AROUND 5:30PM.  IT WAS ALMOST 6PM, AND STILL NO FONDA, SO MIKE WANTED ME TO CALL HER AND SEE IF SHE WAS STILL COMING OVER.  I TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO NEED TO PHONE HER, AS SHE IS ALWAYS LATE.  I SAID SHE WAS EVEN LATE IN COMING WHEN SHE WAS DUE.  SO MIKE SAID, "DUE FOR WHAT"??  THEN I EXPLAINED THAT SHE WAS ORIGINALLY DUE TO BE BORN ON JULY 30TH, BUT SHE WAS LATE.  SO MIKE ASKS "WHEN DID SHE COME, ON JULY 31ST"?  I SAID NO, SHE WAS LATER THAN THAT, SO HE THEN STARTS GUESSING JULY 32nd, JULY 33rd, ALL THE WAY TO JULY 35th BEFORE I TOLD HIM SHE WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN AUG., AUG. THE 23rd.  AS IF THAT WERE NOT STRANGE ENOUGH, HE THEN ASKED ME IF WE HAVE EVER BEEN TO FONDA'S HOUSE!!!  I'M TRYING NOT TO ACT FLABBERGASTED, AND JUST SAY YES-WE HAVE BEEN THERE MANY TIMES BEFORE.  THEN HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HER HOUSE LOOKS LIKE.  HE SAYS IS IT LIKE OUR INSIDE?  I (STILL FLABBERGASTED) SAID "PRETTY MUCH". AND LEFT IT AT  THAT.
ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT NOTE, THIS MORNING MIKE WAKES ME OUT OF A DEEP SLEEP BY POKING ME IN THE STOMACH.  HE THEN ASKS ME IF I AM AWAKE.  I TOLD HIM NOW I AM-WHAT'S THE MATTER??  HE SAID THE DOGS ARE STARVING TO DEATH, AND THEY NEED ME TO WAKE UP AND FEED THEM RIGHT NOW..  SO I GUESS I AM NOT ONLY AT MIKES BECKON CALL, BUT ALSO AT MY DOGS!!!  YOU WOULD THINK THAT ONCE YOU REACH THE RIPE OLE AGE OF 65 (I'LL BE THERE NEXT MONTH), YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SLEEP IN ONCE IN A WHILE-APPARENTLY NOT IF YOU HAVE DOGS, OR ARE MARRIED TO A MAN NAMED MIKE.  THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT FOR NOW-HOPE YOU HAVE A REMARKABLE DAY-JUST ME

" YOU KNOW, BAM BAM BAM-AH FORGET IT " !!

THAT WAS WHAT MIKE SAID TO ME AS WE WERE WALKING INTO PUBLIX!!   SADLY FOR ME, I COULD NOT JUST FORGET ABOUT IT, AS IT WAS THE SECOND TIME MIKE HAS TRIED TO RELATE SOMETHING TO ME THAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT AND WOUND UP SAYING "AH JUST FORGET IT". THIS HAPPENS  BECAUSE HE CAN NOT GET ENOUGH OF THE THOUGHT TO PUT INTO WORDS WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXPRESS.  HE USES HIS HANDS, AND MAKES SHAPES OR MOTIONS TRYING TO GET ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT, BUT THEY DO NOT REPLACE WORDS.  SO, THIS TIME I KEPT ON ASKING HIM TO PLEASE TRY AND GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TO WORK WITH THAN JUST BAM BAM. THEN HE SAID "YOU KNOW THE GIRL AND THE MAN THAT ARE ALWAYS THERE".  THEN HE SAYS THE BAM, BAM BAM.THING AGAIN!! SO I START OUT BY ASKING "DO YOU MEAN CASEY ANTHONY"?  AS WE ARE WATCHING THAT TRIAL DAILY.  TO WHICH HE SAYS "NO".  SO I KEEP ON TRYING.  "DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ATTORNEYS"? AGAIN HE SAYS "NO".  I AM NOW RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS-IT COULD BE ALMOST ANYTHING  WITH THE ONLY CLUES HE COULD GIVE ME.  NOW I ASK "IS IT SOMETHING THAT'S ON T.V."? AND HE SAYS "YES" FINALLY, SO NOW I HAVE SOME PLACE TO START.  I WILL NOT KEEP YOU IN SUSPENSE ANY LONGER, AS IT TOOK ME QUITE A WHILE TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO TELL ME.  IT WAS ABOUT THAT STUPID COMMERCIAL  WHERE EVERYONE IS SAYING  "MARCEL, MARCEL, ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME MARCEL"?!!!!  WHEN I FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT, I ASKED "WHAT DID YOU WANT TO TELL ME ABOUT IT"? VERY NONCHALANTLY HE SAYS "NOTHING", AND KEEPS WALKING TO OUR CAR!!  HOW FRUSTRATING IS THAT????  ALL THAT WORK, AND NO CLIMAX!!! OH WELL, AT LEAST I KNOW I AM GETTING MUCH BETTER AT CHARADES.  IF MEMORY SERVES ME WELL, MY POOR SISTER VICKIE BECAME AN EXPERT AT THEM. BEFORE HER HUSBAND GEORGE PASSED AWAY. HE ALSO SUFFERED FROM ALZHEIMER'S, A.L.S., AND A HOST OF  OTHER THINGS.  PERHAPS LIVING SO CLOSE (WE LIVE ACROSS THE STREET FROM EACH OTHER), AND SEEING THE CHANGES HE MADE ON A DAILY BASIS, HAS GIVEN ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT LIES AHEAD.  FOR NOW, I WILL LEAVE TOMORROW ALONE-EACH DAY HAS SUFFICIENT ANXIETIES AS THE GOOD BOOK SAYS!!!  SO, TILL LATER-JUST ME

" WHO ME ?? "

MIKE WALKED IN THE FRONT DOOR FROM FEEDING OUR NEIGHBORS CAT WHEN THE  T.V. SHOW E.T. WAS SAYING THAT  "MICHAEL WAS IN GOOD HEALTH BEFORE HE DIED". WHEN MIKE HEARD THAT, HE SAID "WHO ME"??  I OF COURSE SAID NO NOT  YOU, AS THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON.  HE SEEMS TO BE EASILY CONFUSED LATELY, AND WILL OFTEN TALK TO THE T.V. OR WITH THE DOGS.  I AM JUST ROLLING WITH THE FLOW THESE DAYS, AND TRY AND AGREE WITH HIM WHEN EVER POSSIBLE.  HE ALSO BECOMES OBSESSED EASILY ABOUT ALMOST ANYTHING.  IF HE WANTS SOMETHING HE WILL ASK ABOUT IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I'M NOT SURE IF HE IS ASKING BECAUSE HE HAS FORGOTTEN  HE HAS ALREADY ASKED ME SEVERAL TIMES FOR IT, OR IF IT IS JUST THAT IMPORTANT TO HIM THAT HE HAVE IT RIGHT NOW!!
HE OFTEN MAKES ME LAUGH OVER HIS ON GOING DISPUTE WITH THE LOTTERY PEOPLE.  TODAY HE SAID THEY WOULD NOT GIVE HIM THE WINNING NUMBERS IN THE PAPER, SO HE CALLED THEM.  HE SAID THEY JUST GAVE HIM THE RUN AROUND.  HE IS READY FOR ME TO TAKE HIM BACK DOWN TO THEIR HEADQUARTERS AGAIN-YIPPEE!!!  HOWEVER TODAY HE WAS CORRECT THAT THEY DID NOT LIST THE WINNING FANTASY 5 NUMBERS IN THE PAPER.  I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST NOT ABLE TO FIND THEM (WHICH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE), BUT NO, HE WAS RIGHT-THEY WERE NOT LISTED.  I HAD TO TAKE HIS TICKET DOWN TO PUBLIX AND LET THEM RUN IT THROUGH THEIR MACHINE JUST TO SHOW HIM THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A WINNER.
HE IS ALSO VERY INVOLVED WITH THE CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL ON T.V..  ONE MINUTE HE WILL THINK SHE IS GUILTY AND SHOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED FOR HURTING THAT LITTLE BABY AND THEN THE NEXT MINUTE (WHEN SHE IS CRYING) HE WILL SAY IT IS JUST AWFUL WHAT THEY ARE PUTTING HER (CASEY) THROUGH.  SHE JUST LOST HER BABY!!  TOO FUNNY.. OH WELL, IT IS NEVER A DULL MOMENT AROUND HERE.  HOPE YOU TOO CAN FIND JOY THIS DAY-TILL LATER-JUST ME

" HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR MOTHER ? "

I MUST SAY THAT IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST THINGS MIKE HAS ASKED ME AS OF LATE.  HE WAS NOT KIDDING EITHER.  AT FIRST I THOUGHT HE WAS, SO I ASKED HIM " HOW DID YOU  MEET YOUR  MOTHER??  WHEN HE SAID " I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER", I KNEW HE WAS NOT JOKING, BUT WAS ASKING ME THAT FOR REAL!!!  HE ALSO WANTED TO KNOW IF HE EVER MET MY MOTHER!!  SO SAD.                                                                    MIKE SEEMS TO FIND A AWFUL LOT OF HUMOR IN COMMERCIALS LATELY, ALSO HE IS SUCH A SUCKER FOR ANY SALES PERSON.  HE WILL BUY ANYTHING & EVERYTHING OVER THE PHONE IF I AM NOT THERE TO ANSWER IT.  HE JUST GAVE ME A BILL FOR $59. WORTH OF MAGAZINES THAT HE ORDERED BY PHONE.  SOMEONE CALLED, AND HE OF COURSE SAID YES TO ALL THEIR QUESTIONS, AND NOW WE GET "COOKING LIGHT",  "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED", AND WHO KNOW WHAT ALL.  THE REAL KICKER IS THAT MIKE NO LONGER READS!!  THE MAGAZINES WIND UP IN THE RECYCLE BEN UNREAD.  TO BOOT, HE HIDES THE BILLS FROM ME TILL THEY START SENDING HIM OVER DUE NOTICES.  THEN HE TELLS ME HE NEEDS A CHECK, BUT WILL NOT TELL ME WHAT IT'S FOR.  HE JUST SAYS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE A CHECK FROM HIM.  HE REMINDS ME OF A LITTLE BOY SOMETIMES WHO IS TRYING TO HIDE THE FACT THAT HE RAIDED THE COOKIE JAR AND IS LYING ABOUT IT TO HIS MOTHER (SOUND FAMILIAR MIKE JR.??).  MIKE ALSO TALKS TO OUR DOGS A LOT THESE DAYS TOO.  I WILL HEAR HIM FROM THE BED ROOM, AND THINK HE IS CALLING OR TALKING TO ME, BUT WHEN I ASK HIM HE SAYS "I WAS TALKING TO PRISKA, OR I WAS TALKING TO PRESLEY".  HE ALSO GETS THEM MIXED UP NOW TOO.  HE WILL SAY "GOOD GIRL" TO PRESLEY, OR "GOOD BOY" TO PRISKA.  I FEEL SURE THEY DON'T MIND, BUT I SURE THINK IT IS CUTE!!  WELL, I NEED TO GET GOING-MIKE HAS A DENTAL APPOINTMENT AND I NEED TO GET READY TO TAKE HIM.  HOPE THIS DAY BRINGS YOU LOTS OF JOY & LAUGHTER-TILL TOMORROW JUST ME

" WALKING THE DOGS-----AT NIGHT!! "

IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I GOT HOME FROM MY MEETING THURS. NIGHT, TO HEAR MIKE UTTER THESE WORDS - "I JUST GOT HOME FROM WALKING THE DOGS"!!  I WAS VERY UPSET BY THAT REMARK, BUT TRIED TO STAY COMPOSED AS I SAID TO HIM " HONEY IT IS DARK OUT SIDE, YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN LOST".  HIS REPLY?  "WELL I DIDN'T".  SO IN MIKES MIND ALL WAS WELL.  IN MY MIND, NOW I AM AFRAID TO LEAVE HIM ALONE AT ANY TIME.  I WAS IMAGINING WHAT WOULD/COULD HAVE HAPPENED.  NIGHT TIME IS ALWAYS WORSE FOR MIKE AND OTHERS WITH ALZHEIMER'S.  MIKE HAS GOTTEN LOST IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE DAY TIME BEFORE, SO THIS WAS VERY TROUBLING NEWS FOR ME.  I'M REALLY BEGINNING TO SEE ALL THE SIMILARITIES WITH PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S AND CHILDREN NOW.  CHILDREN DO THINGS THAT GET THEM HURT ALL THE TIME, AND YOU CAN EVEN BE RIGHT IN THE SAME ROOM JUST INCHES AWAY, AND YET YOU CAN NOT ACT FAST ENOUGH TO PREVENT WHAT YOU KNOW IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.  IT IS THE SAME WITH PEOPLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S.  THE DIFFERENCE??  YOU CAN REASON WITH A CHILD AND EXPLAIN WHY THIS OR THAT WAS A BAD.IDEA-AND WHEN YOU TELL THEM TO BE MORE CAREFUL NEXT TIME, CHANCES ARE THEY WILL LISTEN.  WITH MIKE AND OTHERS WITH ALZHEIMER'S, THEY WILL AGREE WITH YOU AT THE MOMENT YOU EXPLAIN ALL THE DANGERS OF WHAT THEY JUST DID, BUT THE CHANCES ARE GREAT, THAT THEY WILL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN!!  THEY DO NOT HAVE THE MEMORY OF A YOUNG CHILD, AND EVEN IF WHAT THEY DID GOT THEM HURT, THEY WILL HAVE NO MEMORY AND HENCE, NO FEAR OF DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. ALL I KNOW IS THAT IN DEALING WITH SOMEONE WITH THIS DISEASE, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY HAVE TO WORK ON ALL OF THE FRUITAGES OF THE SPIRIT-ESPECIALLY MILDNESS AND SELF CONTROL, AS IT IS SO EASY TO OVER REACT IN MANY OF THE SITUATIONS YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF IN.  OK, I THINK I HAVE VENTED ENOUGH FOR TODAY, AS I SEEM CALMER NOW.  THANKS FOR LISTENING-TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME

" BOOM BOOM BANG BANG PART 2 "

IT MUST BE MURPHY'S LAW, BUT NOTHING IS EVER AS EASY AS IT SEEMS !!  WE MANAGED TO GET THE OLE MAN OFF THE ROOF SAFELY, PAID HIM FOR HIS WORK, AND SILLY ME THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF IT.  NOW I CAN CALM BACK DOWN AS NO ONE FELL OFF THE ROOF OR GOT HURT, AND HOPEFULLY THERE WERE NO HOLES LEFT IN OUR ROOF WHEN HE LEFT.  NEXT PROBLEM??  MIKE TELLS ME THAT HE CAN NOT GET THE GARAGE DOOR TO GO BACK DOWN.  NORMALLY WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IT IS JUST A MATTER OF MOVING A COUPLE OF THINGS OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THEY DO NOT BLOCK THE TWO LITTLE EYES AT THE BOTTOM.  NOT SO THIS TIME.  I MOVED EVERY THING IN SIGHT, EVEN STUFF HIGHER UP JUST HOPING THAT SOMEHOW THE GARAGE DOOR WOULD GO BACK DOWN. STILL NOT.  NOW I START LOOKING FOR OTHER POSSIBILITIES.  AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, I FOUND THE PROBLEM.  THE CABLE HAD BEEN DISLODGED BY THE OLE MAN (NOT SURE WHICH OLE MAN) GETTING THE LADDER OUT OF THE GARAGE.   THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT MY RENTAL CAR IS IN THE GARAGE, AND THE DOOR IS STUCK RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.  A FEW HELPFUL NEIGHBORS SHOW UP AND RAISE THE GARAGE DOOR AND TELL ME TO GO AHEAD AND BACK THE CAR OUT NOW.  I DID, OR AT LEAST I TRIED, BUT THEN THE GARAGE DOOR DECIDES ALL BY ITSELF TO COME DOWN-RIGHT ON TOP OF MY RENTAL CAR!!!  AT THIS POINT I CAN NO LONGER BREATH.  I AM SOUNDING LIKE A FROG CRAWLED UP MY VOCAL CHORD.  I CAN NO LONGER SPEAK EITHER.. THAT SAME HIDEOUS SOUND IS ALL I CAN MAKE.  MY DEAR SISTER VICKIE (STILL WITH A HUGE CAST ON ONE ARM) POURS ME A GLASS OF WINE AND MAKES ME SIT OUTSIDE ON MY BACK PORCH AND TAKE DEEP BREATHS.  I WAS TRULY AFRAID I WAS GOING TO WIND UP IN THE ER!!!  SOON AFTER I DOWNED THE WINE AND GOT SOME FRESH AIR IN MY LUNGS I WAS SOUNDING SOMEWHAT BETTER, AND COULD NOW BREATH.  THE OUT COME??  A NEW GARAGE DOOR FOR THE POULTRY SOME OF $800.  I KNOW MIKE HAD GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT THE ROOF CLEANING JOB THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO COST US ONLY $6O. HAS COST A WHOLE LOT MORE-NOT TO MENTION THE WEAR AND TEAR ON MY NERVES!!!  LIKE I SAID YESTERDAY-EVERY DAY WITH MIKE IS AN ADVENTURE-BUT NOT ALL ADVENTURES ARE FUN!!!  TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME

" BOOM BOOM BANG BANG !!! "

WHAT A WAY TO WAKE UP IN THE MORNING!!  IT SEEMS THAT MY HUSBAND MIKE (WITH OUT DISCUSSING IT WITH ME) HIRED SOME ONE (OFF THE STREET) TO CUT DOWN SOME OF THE BRANCHES ON THE TOP OF OUR ROOF!!  I OF COURSE RIGHT AWAY THOUGHT-IS HE LICENSED??  DOES HE HAVE ANY INSURANCE??  DID YOU ASK HOW MUCH HE WAS GOING TO CHARGE US???  THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT A WELL PERSON WOULD ASK (I ALMOST SAID NORMAL). ANY HOW, I WENT OUT SIDE TO ASK THE MAN MY SELF, AND HE LOOKS TO BE ABOUT 80 YEARS OLD!!  HE HAD A GARBAGE CAN ON THE ROOF FILLED TO THE TOP WITH TREE PIECES,  AND NO IDEA ON HOW TO GET IT DOWN, AS IT WAS QUITE HEAVY I AM CERTAIN!!  HE THEN KNOCKS ON THE DOOR LOOKING FOR MIKE, AND NOW THEY ARE BOTH OUT THERE. THE OLD MAN IS BACK ON THE ROOF, AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE TWO OF THEM HAVE CONCOCTED TO GET THAT TRASH CAN DOWN.  I SENSE TROUBLE IN THE HORIZON-EVEN CLOSER!!!  THE TROUBLE IS THAT MIKE DOES NOT LIKE ME TO POINT OUT THAT HE MAY HAVE MADE A WRONG DECISION.  HE DOES NOT LIKE HAVING TO DISCUSS ANY DECISIONS WITH ME AS HE FEELS HE CAN STILL MAKE A DECISION ON HIS OWN.  THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS WITH THIS HORRIBLE DISEASE-THEY ARE LIKE CHILDREN IN ONE SENSE, YET THEY CAN BE VERY DETERMINED IN ANOTHER SENSE, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT CHILDREN IN REALITY-YOU CAN NOT SPANK THEM AND SEND THEM TO THEIR ROOM WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG!!  MY TUMMY IS NOW HURTING, AND I JUST WANT TO GO BACK TO BED WITH A HEATING PAD AND FORGET ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT ABOVE ME ON THE ROOF.  I REALLY NEED TO GET SOME EAR PLUGS!!!  EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE-NOT ALL ADVENTURES ARE FUN.  TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME

" BLACK COFFEE "

WHAT A SHOCK TO LOOK AT MIKE'S CUP OF COFFEE THIS AM AND FIND THAT HE IS DRINKING IT BLACK.  HE HAS NEVER IN THE PAST DRANK BLACK COFFEE, AS HE HAS ALWAYS LIKED IT WITH CREAM.  HOW DOES A PERSON FORGET HOW THEY LIKE THEIR COFFEE??  IT IS JUST ONE MORE OF THE MANY MYSTERIES OF THIS RELENTLESS DISEASE OF ALZHEIMER'S.  TODAY MIKE HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH A ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST FOR HIS KNEE.  I AM HOPING AND PRAYING THAT HE WILL NOT REQUIRE SURGERY, ALTHOUGH, THAT IS WHAT HIS PCP IS LEANING TOWARDS.  ANESTHESIA IS VERY HARD ON PEOPLE WHO SUFFER WITH ALZHEIMER'S.  IT REALLY MESSES WITH WHAT MEMORY THEY HAVE LEFT, AND CAN EVEN WORSEN THEIR CONDITION.  THE GOOD THING ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT SURGERIES THAT MIKE HAS HAD IN THE PAST THREE YEARS (HE HAD HIS BLADDER REMOVED BECAUSE HE HAD TWO TYPES OF CANCER-HAD SURGERY ON HIS SHOULDER FOR A TORN ROTATOR CUFF-AND HE HAS HAD TWO SURGERIES ON HIS NOSE FOR SKIN CANCER!!) IS THAT HE DOES NOT REMEMBER ANY OF THEM.  I GUESS THAT IS ONE OF THE FEW PERKS OF THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE-THE PERSON NOT ONLY FORGETS THE "GOOD MEMORIES", BUT ALSO THE PAINFUL ONES!!  WELL, TIME FOR ME TO TAKE HIM FOR HIS APT., SO TILL TOMORROW-WISHING YOU A DAY OF WELLNESS!! JUST ME

" LOTTO LUNACY"

I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT MIKE HAS GONE LOTTO LOCO!!!!  HE IS DETERMINED TO BUY A LOTTO TICKET EVERY DAY TILL OUR SON AND HIS FAMILY GET HERE FROM CA..  HIS REASON??  HE WANTS TO REIMBURSE OUR SON FOR ALL HIS EXPENSES IN COMING HERE TO SEE US.  THE PROBLEM?? MIKE THINKS THAT THE LOTTO IS RIGGED AGAINST HIM, AND THAT THEY PURPOSELY CHOOSE NUMBERS THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE.  ALSO WHEN HE CAN'T FIND THE LOTTO NUMBERS IN THE PAPER, HE THINKS THAT THEY HAVE DELIBERATELY NOT PUBLISHED THEM BECAUSE HE HAS WON!!  NOW HE INSIST THAT HE IS GOING DOWN TO THE LOTTO HEAD QUARTERS, AND MAKE THEM EXPLAIN HOW THEY CONSISTENTLY PICK NUMBERS HE DOES NOT HAVE..  YOU MAY THINK THAT THIS IS LUNACY, AND SO DO I, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, HE MADE ME TAKE HIM DOWN THERE ONCE BEFORE, AND HE WALKED AWAY WITH SEVERAL PARTING GIFTS.  I THINK THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM JUST ABOUT ANY THING TO GET RID OF HIM!!  HE IS A HOOT, BUT HE IS DEAD SERIOUS ABOUT THE LOTTO BEING FIXED.  HE HAS HAD PUBLIX CALL THE LOTTO HEAD QUARTERS ONCE BEFORE TOO, AND I WAS SO EMBARRASSED I COULD HAVE CRAWLED BEHIND THE FLOWER DISPLAY.  WHEN HE THINKS HE IS RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING HE CAN BE VERY DOGMATIC ABOUT IT.  TIME WILL TELL WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS LOTTO FIASCO, BUT  IN THE MEAN TIME, I SURE DO GET A KICK OUT OF ALL MIKE'S REASONS WHY THE LOTTO IS CHEATING HIM!!  TILL TOMORROW-HAVE A WINNING DAY!!  JUST ME

" MIKE, AND THE CASE AGAINST CASEY "

IT'S OFFICIAL!!  MIKE HAS BECOME ADDICTED TO THE CASEY TRIAL!!  SUNDAY HE WAS TRYING TO ASK IF THE CASE WAS ON TV.  HE KEPT SEARCHING FOR THE RIGHT WORDS TO ASK ME ABOUT IT, BUT HE COULD NOT.  MIKE MOTIONS A LOT NOW WHEN HE CAN NOT THINK OF WHAT HE WANTS TO SAY.  SADLY IT REMINDS ME OF HOW MY SISTER VICKIE'S HUSBAND WAS.  HE STARTED OUT NOT BEING ABLE TO REMEMBER HOW TO SAY CERTAIN WORDS, AND SLURRING THE WORDS HE COULD SAY.  IN THE FINAL YEARS, HE COULD NO LONGER SPEAK AT ALL.  THIS DISEASE OF ALZHEIMER'S IS A VERY VERY CRUEL DISEASE.  MIKE DESCRIBES  IT  AS "COB WEBS" IN HIS HEAD.  AT THIS POINT OF THE DISEASE, IT MUST BE SAD FOR THEM-EVEN THOUGH AS I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, MIKE SEEMS TO BE HAPPY AS A LARK, AND INSIST HE HAS NO STRESS.  I DO PRAY THAT IT WILL REMAIN THAT WAY FOR HIM TILL THE END.  THE ONES THAT DO HAVE STRESS, ARE THE CAREGIVERS, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.  MIKE WILL OFTEN FORGET IMPORTANT THINGS, LIKE HOW MANY KIDS HE HAS.  YESTERDAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MY SISTER VICKIE AND HOW MANY KIDS SHE HAD, THEN MY FRIEND MARIE WHO HAD FOUR BOYS.  MIKE SAID YOU DID GOOD, YOU HAD TWO BOYS AND TWO GIRLS!!!  I WAS FLOORED AS WE ONLY HAVE THREE CHILDREN.  LIFE HAS IT'S CHALLENGES EVERY DAY, BUT MIKE IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE ALIVE, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL  FOR THAT AS WELL.  HOPE YOUR DAY WILL BRING MANY SMILES, AND TRY YOUR BEST TO FIND JOY IN THIS DAY-I KNOW I WILL.  TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME

" CAR ACCIDENT!! "

YES, A CAR ACCIDENT!! NO, THANKFULLY MIKE WAS NOT DRIVING, NOR WAS HE EVEN IN THE CAR, BUT WHAT A DAY YESTERDAY WAS!!  AS YOU KNOW MY SISTER VICKIE HAS A BROKEN WRIST (R.HAND) CAST WAY UP PAST HER ELBOW,  AND WE HAVE ALL BEEN DOING WHAT WE CAN TO HELP HER.  YESTERDAY WAS A DAY OF FUN (SUPPOSEDLY).  WE HAD A FEW ERRANDS TO RUN, AND THEN IT WAS OFF TO GET A PEDICURE-MY SISTER VICKIE'S TREAT!!  LONG STORY SHORT, AVEDA (BEAUTY SCHOOL) TOOK FOREVER, AND USED A TON OF OIL ON THE BOTTOM OF MY FEET.  I WAS SLIDING IN AND OUT OF MY FLIP FLOPS GOING OUT OF THERE.  WE GOT A WHOLE TWO BLOCKS AWAY WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEGAL U-TURN, AND A CAR CAME OUT OF NO WHERE (AT LEAST I HAD NOT SEEN IT BEFORE), AND I WENT TO JAM ON MY BREAKS, AND BOOM!!  MY SLIPPERY FOOT SLID RIGHT OUT OF MY FLIP FLOP AND OFF THE BREAK!!!  I WISH THE WOMAN WOULD HAVE JUST SPED UP A TAD, BUT NO, SHE STOPS AND WAITS FOR MY CAR TO HIT HER!!  OH WELL,  DOES ANY ONE KNOW IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUE AVEDA FOR EXCESSIVE USE OF OIL???  I MAY HAVE A LAW SUIT HERE-AND YES, OF COURSE I AM KIDDING.  ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS MY POOR HUSBAND HOME ALONE, AND THE WOMAN WOULD NOT JUST TAKE ALL MY INFORMATION AND LET US GO-NO, SHE SAID I HAD TO STAY THERE TILL THE COPS CAME-30 MINUTES OR MORE LATER!!  I DID MANAGE TO HAVE A FRIEND PICK UP MY SISTER VICKIE AND TAKE HER TO MY HOUSE SO THAT MIKE WOULD NOT BE LEFT ALONE ANY LONGER, AND SHE COULD TELL HIM I WAS FINE, JUST HAD TO WAIT FOR THE POLICE TO FILL OUR THE REPORT.  SO AS YOU CAN SEE.  EVEN ON A DAY THAT HELD THE PROMISE OF A FREE RELAXING PEDICURE, SATAN REARED HIS UGLY HEAD AND TURNED IT INTO A STRESSFUL AFTERNOON.  STILL, DESPITE ALL THAT HAPPENED, ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL, AND THE MAIN THING WAS NO ONE WAS HURT, AND MIKE WAS OK.  THAT IN MY BOOK IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY GOOD DAY!!  TILL LATER-JUST ME

" SLEEPING MORE IN THE DAY TIME-LESS AT NIGHT "

MIKE SEEMS TO FALL ASLEEP EVERY TIME HE SITS DOWN IN HIS RECLINER THESE DAYS.  HE SLEEPS UNTIL HIS SNORING WAKES HIM UP, THEN HE ASKS A WEIRD QUESTION (LIKE MAYBE SOMETHING HE WAS DREAMING ABOUT), AND THEN IT'S RIGHT BACK TO SLEEP.  HE IS ALSO HAVING MORE AND MORE TROUBLE RECALLING SIMPLE WORDS NOW.  HE WILL POINT TO THINGS OR TRY TO DESCRIBE IT WITH HIS HANDS.  HE MAKES A BOX LIKE MOTION WITH HIS HANDS, AND I NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HE WANTS.  I ALWAYS DID LIKE CHARADE'S, BUT THIS IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT, AND NOT AS MUCH FUN.  OTHER WISE, MIKE SEEMS TO BE DOING WELL. HE EATS LIKE A HORSE, SO HIS APPETITE IS VERY GOOD, AND HE STILL ENJOYS PLAYING BACKGAMMON EVERY DAY, AND OF COURSE WORKING IN THE YARD.  I HAD BEEN PAYING THE BOY NEXT DOOR TO CUT JUST THE BACK YARD, AS I FELT (AND STILL FEEL) LIKE OUR YARD IS JUST TO BIG FOR HIM TO KEEP CUTTING ALL BY HIMSELF.  HOWEVER, YESTERDAY HE INSISTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO CUT THE BACK YARD AGAIN, AND I AM NOT TO PAY $20. ANY MORE TO GET THAT DONE.  WE SHALL SEE.  WHEN THE GRASS GETS TO BE KNEE HIGH AGAIN, I WILL HAVE TO GET SOMEONE TO CUT IT.  HE STILL THINKS HE CAN DO IT ALL, BUT THE TRUTH IS, HE IS GETTING VERY TIRED AFTER ONLY AN HOUR OR TWO OUTSIDE.   IN DAYS GONE BY, HE COULD EASILY SPEND 4 OR 5 HOURS IN THE MORNING, AND THEN GO BACK OUT AGAIN AFTER LUNCH, AND DO ANOTHER 4 OR 5 HOURS.  HE IS MOVING MUCH SLOWER THESE DAYS, NOT SURE IF PART OF THAT IS HIS KNEE PROBLEM, BUT GUESS WE WILL FIND OUT ON WEDS. WHEN HE GOES TO THE ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST.  LAST NIGHT MIKE WAS SOUND ASLEEP IN HIS CHAIR UNTIL 2:30am WHEN I GOT UP AND MADE HIM COME TO BED.  I HEARD THE TV GOING SO I THOUGHT MAYBE HE WAS WATCHING BASKETBALL OR ANOTHER SHOW, BUT NO, HE WAS IN LA LA LAND.  I GOT HIM IN BED, AND THEN FELL BACK TO SLEEP.  I AM TIRED, BUT UP EARLY, AS THE DOGS ARE RELENTLESS WHEN THEY WANT THEIR BREAKFAST!!  MAKE YOUR DAY IS A HAPPY ONE-AND I WILL TRY AND DO THE SAME.  JUST ME

" I POKE HER A LOT!! "

ONE OF MY MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENTS!!  WE WERE AT THE K. H. (RELIGIOUS MEETING), AND I WAS COMMENTING ON MY FRIEND'S POLKA DOT DRESS.  I SAID "YOU ARE WEARING MY FAVORITE DRESS-I JUST LOVE POLKA DOTS.  SO WHAT DOES MIKE CHIME IN WITH???  THE ABOVE WORDS!!  HONESTLY, I NEVER KNOW FROM MINUTE TO MINUTE WHAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT MANS MOUTH NEXT!!  WATCHING TV ON SATURDAY NIGHT, MIKE (WHO HAD BEEN SOUND ASLEEP IN HIS RECLINER) WAKES UP AND SAYS "WHERE AM I GOING?"  NOT HAVING A CLUE AS TO WHAT HE WAS THINKING (OR DREAMING ABOUT) I SAID "WHERE ARE YOU GOING WHEN"??  MIKE SAYS "TOMORROW" THEN I TELL HIM TO THE K. H.. THEN HE SAYS "THEN WHERE DO I GO"?  NOW I'M STARTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WANTS TO KNOW.  MIKE HAD AN APPOINTMENT FOR MONDAY TO GET SOME NEW EYE GLASSES, SO ONCE I FIGURED THAT OUT AND TOLD HIM WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR, HE WAS FINE AGAIN.  OUR DAYS SEEM TO BE FILLED LATELY WITH MANY DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.  THURSDAY WE SPENT THE DAY BETWEEN MIKE'S PCP DOCTOR AND HAVING SOME X-RAYS DONE ON HIS KNEE.  NOW TODAY HIS PCP DOCTOR'S OFFICE CALLED AND WANTS HIM TO SEE AN ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST, AS THEY FOUND SIGNIFICANT ????? IN HIS X-RAY.  LIFE GETS COMPLICATED WHEN YOU PASS 60.  I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT THE "GOLDEN YEARS" CAN RIGHTLY APPLY TO ARE THE DOCTORS WHO GET RICH OFF ALL US OLD FOLKS!!!  ONE MORE MIKE STORY FOR TODAY.  ON FRIDAY. I TRIED TO THROW OUT THURS. NEWS PAPER, BUT MIKE WOULD NOT LET ME.  HE SAID JUST PUT IT ON MY CHAIR, WHICH I DID.  THEN ON FRIDAY HE WAS READING THURS. PAPER AND I TOLD HIM THAT IT WAS YESTERDAYS PAPER.  HE SAID NO IT'S NOT, TODAY IS THURS. JUNE THE SECOND 2011 (WHICH OF COURSE HE SAW AT THE TOP OF THE NEWS PAPER).  I SAID I KNOW THAT IS WHAT THE PAPER YOU ARE READING SAYS, BUT TODAY IS FRIDAY.  AFTER A BACK AND FORTH FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES (I EVEN TRIED TO REMIND HIM THAT HE WOULD NOT LET ME THROW OUT THURS. PAPER THE DAY BEFORE) WELL, HE FINALLY AGREED-IT WAS FRIDAY. AH THE SMELL OF SUCCESS!!! OK, I HAD TO PUT FRIDAYS PAPER IN HIS HANDS BEFORE HE WOULD BELIEVE ME, BUT I STILL WON THAT ARGUMENT ANY WAY!!
TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO STAY POSITIVE-I'M PRETTY POSITIVE ALREADY THAT GETTING OLDER STINKS!!! TILL TOMORROW-JUST ME

" WHAT ? WHAT????

LAST NIGHT MIKE IS WATCHING A COMMERCIAL AND STARTS SAYING "WHAT ?"  SEVERAL TIMES-A LITTLE LOUDER EACH TIME.  TILL I OF COURSE ASK HIM WHAT IS ALL THE WHATING ABOUT.  THEN HE SAYS WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?  I AM AT A LOSS (WHICH IS THE CASE SO OFTEN LATELY), AND HE SAYS "WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET THE $100,000. DOLLARS?  NOW IT IS ALL MAKING SENSE TO ME-HE MUST HAVE JUST WATCHED THE M & M COMMERCIAL ABOUT GETTING ALL THE COLORS BACK TOGETHER.  I THINK (NOT REAL SURE) THAT YOU NEED TO FIND A BAG WITH ALL OF THE 5 COLORS (THERE ARE 5 COLORS-RIGHT?)  IN THE BAG, AND THEN YOU CAN WIN $100,000 DOLLARS.  SO AGAIN, MIKE SAYS "WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO"? SO I TELL HIM HE NEEDS TO BUY LOTS & LOTS OF M & M'S, TO SEE IF HE CAN FIND ALL THE COLORS IN ONE BAG.  HE GIVES ME A NOT SO NICE LOOK, AND GOES BACK TO WATCHING TV..
THEN THERE WAS LAST NIGHT WHEN HE STATED "THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY PILLS".  NOW I START THE GUESSING GAME.  WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR PILLS?  WHICH ONES??  WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THAT??  HE NOW TELLS ME THAT HE HAS BEEN FEELING SHAKY FOR A WHILE, AND IT MUST BE THE PILLS.  I'M LIKE WHY ARE YOU JUST NOW TELLING ME THIS NOW, IF YOU HAVE BEEN FEELING SHAKY FOR A WHILE??  I ASK YOU EVERY DAY HOW YOU ARE FEELING, AND YOU NEVER SAY "SHAKY"!!  OH, AND WHEN HE SAYS THE WORD "SHAKY" HE SHAKES BOTH HIS HANDS TO GIVE ME A VISUAL.  NOW TODAY I WILL HAVE TO CALL HIS PCP, (WE WERE JUST THERE YESTERDAY) AND FIND OUT WHICH ONE OF HIS PILLS COULD BE MAKING HIM SHAKY.  I DID CALL THE PHARMACIST LAST NIGHT, AND HE SEEMED TO THINK IT COULD BE COMING FROM THE HIGHER DOSE WE PUT MIKE ON A COUPLE MONTHS AGO OF THE ARICEPT.  WE SHALL SEE WHAT THE DOC SAYS THIS AM-TO BE CONTINUED!!!  JUST ME

" THE DAY OF DOCTORS AND X-RAYS "

YESTERDAY WAS A LONG LONG DAY FOR BOTH MIKE AND I!!  MIKE HAS BEEN HAVING LOTS  OF  PROBLEMS WITH HIS RIGHT KNEE FOR A WHILE NOW.  HE HAS SEEN AN ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALIST WHO GAVE HIM A STEROID SHOT (WHICH MIKE STILL SAYS WAS AN OPERATION).  MIKE INSIST THAT THE DOCTOR CUT HIS KNEE OPEN, AND LOTS OF STUFF CAME OUT.  NONSENSE!!  I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE HE CAME UP WITH THAT, BUT HE ONLY GOT A STEROID SHOT FROM THAT DOCTOR.  WELL, HE WAS SUPPOSE TO SEE THAT DOCTOR AGAIN YESTERDAY, BUT HE DID NOT WANT TO.  INSTEAD, HE WANTED TO SEE HIS PCP DOCTOR AGAIN.  I SAY AGAIN, BECAUSE MIKE DOES NOT REMEMBER SEEING HIM BEFORE ABOUT HIS KNEE-EVEN THOUGH I HAVE TOLD HIM SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE DID.  HE WILL ASK ME WHAT THE PCP HAD TO SAY, AND I WILL TELL HIM ARTHRITIS AND THEN HE WILL SAY HE WANTS TO GO SEE HIM AND FOR ME TO CANCEL THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE SPECIALIST.  WELL, LIKE A DUTIFUL WIFE, I DID, AND OFF TO THE PCP WE WENT.  HE SAID EXACTLY THE SAME THINGS HE HAD SAID BEFORE, BUT THIS TIME HE GAVE MIKE A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE SWELLING, AND SOME EXERCISES TO DO, AND THEN SENT HIM FOR X-RAYS.  NOW THE FUN BEGINS, GETTING MIKE TO TAKE ONE MORE PILL EVERY MORNING, AS HE COUNTS THEM AND WANTS TO KNOW WHAT EACH ONE IS FOR EVERY DAY.  HE ALREADY IS GIVING ME A HARD TIME ABOUT THE KNEE BRACE, AND I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT HAVING TO PUT ICE ON HIS KNEE TWICE A DAY AFTER EACH TIME HE WALKS THE DOGS.  

IT HAS BEEN A VERY BUSY COUPLE OF WEEKS-SINCE MY SISTER BROKE HER WRIST AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY ON IT.  I TOLD BOTH SHE AND MIKE YESTERDAY THAT MIKE HAD HIS NOSE SURGERY AND GETS WAITED ON HAND AND FOOT, AND NOW MY SISTER BROKE HER RIGHT WRIST, AND CAN DO LITTLE FOR HER SELF (BUT SHE SURE DOES TRY), AND NEXT IT WILL BE MY TURN TO BREAK SOMETHING SO THAT SOME ONE CAN TAKE CARE OF ME FOR A WHILE (LIKE THAT'S EVER GONNA HAPPEN!!!).  TILL LATER-JUST ME