Tag Archive | Dementia

Seven Years Gone: Remembering Mama – August 14, 2019

Aug14

The two most traumatic events I’ve experienced in a life that has seen its fair share of traumatic events are the deaths of my parents. When Daddy died on October 15, 1998, I went into protection and taking-care-of mode for Mama, suppressing the real nuts and bolts of my own grieving process over Daddy’s death so that I could give Mama my full support, help, comfort, and care.

I didn’t realize, at the time, that’s what I had done, because it seemed natural to me and I didn’t know how to do things any differently. Continue reading →

Mother’s Day 2019

May12

My dearest Mama,

It’s hard to believe you’ve been gone almost seven years. At once, it feels like yesterday and forever. I miss you as much now as I missed you the second God took your breath away as you hit the number of days He had written for you in His book before you were ever born.

The world was crazy and falling apart when you left. If you can imagine, it’s crazier and crumbling apart even more now.

We’re all worse for the wear, but that’s to be expected, and people you loved and cherished have, like you, gone to sleep to await the resurrection in the years since you’ve been gone.
Continue reading →

Limbic-Predominant Age-Related TDP-43 Encelopathy (LATE) Dementia Identified

Apr30

LATE Dementia IdentifiedA new type of dementia has been identified. While it may look like Alzheimer’s disease, it differs in significant ways. Researchers suspect it’s even more prevalent than Alzheimer’s disease – and may be part of a mixed-dementia diagnosis – but that remains to be seen.

The new type of dementia is called limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encelopathy or LATE dementia. The symptoms of LATE dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can appear to be similar, but while Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of plaques (beta-amyloid proteins) and tangles (tau proteins) in the brain, LATE dementia occurs because of the misfolding of accumulated TDP-43 proteins in the brain.  Continue reading →

Mother’s Day 2018

May13

Mama is holding Deb. Greta is beside her. And I’m on the end. Deb and I were 4 months old in this picture.

It’s hard to believe that it has been six years since the last Mother’s Day I spent with Mama. It seems like a minute ago on one hand and like an eternity on the other. 

There is not a time when I don’t miss her, wondering what she would say or think about things with us kids, her grandkids, the world. In many ways, just like with Daddy, I’m glad she’s been spared the last six years. 
Continue reading →

Can Your Sleeping Position Impact the Chances of Developing Dementia?

Dec28

sleep position may determine how well the brain detoxifies itself during sleepAccording to the World Health Organization, 47.5 million people suffer from dementia globally. 

However, there are lifestyle changes you can make that may lower your overall risk of developing dementia.

One of these could be changing your sleeping position. Continue reading →

Book Review: “Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance” by Atul Gawande

Dec1

Better: A Surgeon's Notes on PerformanceBetter: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading
Being Mortal
 by Atul Gawande, I added all his books to my to-read list.

Gawande is not only a conscientious physician, but he is also a thoughtful leader (who admits his own shortcomings and failures) and an excellent writer, and that combination is always appealing to me. Continue reading →