Kisunla and an Alzheimer's Choice

 My thoughts on the new wonder drug for Alzheimer's, Kisunla.

How low can these drug companies go trying to get people's hopes up? This one is a doozy. First, to take it will cost you almost $49,000 for an 18 month supply. Second, the side effects include brain swelling and brain bleeding. Nice. Third, patients only declined about 22% more slowly in their memory than those who received a fake infusion.  And lastly, it is only good for about 7 months of use. 

Keep in mind, these are statistics that I found online, and there are many conflicting numbers and thoughts, so do your own research.  This is just  my opinion  and my thoughts regarding the pharmaceutical companies. I certainly appreciate the research, but let's do more before we release something that just gets people's hopes up. Nothing can reverse the memory loss. Nothing can put Alzheimer's into remission. Let's keep working on it. 

Why do I feel the need to do research before popping a pill or getting an infusion or injection: Well:

Years ago when I reached menopause, my doctor insisted that I HAD to go on estrogen replacements. I refused because I didn't like what I was reading in my research. She was so upset with me. By the next year, however, oops, they found out that way too many women developed uterine cancer due to the added estrogen. She never bothered me again.

Also, after developing kidney stones in my 20's, I was told to stay off of any calcium. That was the thinking of the times. Now, of course I have osteoporosis from a lack of calcium all those years. It took the medical community many years to go "oops" again to a mistake that damaged many of us who blindly follow medical advice. 

Currently, my doctors have all insisted that I take medications for the osteoporosis. My research finds it to be a terrible thing to do. It hardens the bones, yes, but then makes them brittle with even more  catastrophic results. So, I refused. Fortunately, I have a new young doctor who applauded me and said, "I don't blame you for that." 

So, I know better than to bel9eve what drug companies come up with for their financial gain. Grasping at straws is not for me. I do take two medications that have been proven to be safe for those with dementia, but not proven effective for everyone. Since they're safe. I take them. Who knows if they've made a difference of not. I'm doing pretty good though so I'm not complaining.

On a lighter note:

It's hot out there in the Texas afternoon. My chickens are being treated to some iced veggies.

 

Family Makes a Difference

Many of us travel a lonely path. Some from illness, some by choice, some from simple neglect. But, in my journey I am fortunate to have many people who truly care for me cheering, usually silently, in the background willing me to move forward. All of my family is now very far away but that's just the nature of today's society. Gone are the days when everyone lived in the same little town for generation. after generation. With Zoom, cell phones, social media, cars, and airplanes, it's easier to stay connected. Well, except for family members who are strongly opposed to all of those things, LOL!

This past week one of my son's came with his long-time partner to visit. We had such a good time. His girlfriend is into tarot and such as well so that made for special bonding time as we made some Witches' Bells and Witches' Balls. My son, even though he doesn't "get it", is supportive of what he thinks is our "nonsense". If it makes mom happy, that's all that matters, right? Good boy. Raised you well!

I think my husband and I amused them both no end with our memory issues. He has cognitive memory decline, so added to my dementia/Alzheimer's, we can be quite the team. It's funny that the one with Alzheimer's fills in all the words he can't remember! Even my son's girlfriend, who has a health condition that is affecting her memory, depended on me to be able to fill in missing pieces. Sometimes I really think that's why my decline had been slowed since I have too many people depending on me to do everything. 

One of our trips took us to Fredricksburg, a German tourist town. Surprise! We found a small shop with tarot cards, witchy necklaces, runes and more. Wow! Made my day. I even got a photo of me with Zoltar!

They gifted me a beautiful leather bound journal that I have been happily turning into a grimoire for the past couple of days. 

I will go to visit them again and the rest of my family at the end of March for 5 days. Life is good.  

(What would I do without my AppleWatch that just told me to take my pills? I have it set for all kinds of things that I would otherwise forget during the day.)  

Keeping Busy - Alzheimer's - Dementia

 Yes, I forgot that I started a blog. It's a busy time of the year. Well, it seems that every day is part of a busy time anymore. Never time to just do nothing. Remember the delicious days of childhood when you could say "I'm bored"? Adulthood, though long sought after, doesn't seem to know these words. There always seems to be appointments, chores, guests, and more to keep us busy from morning until night. And, that damned Internet just steals so much time too. I can get lost for hours researching something else that I read about that demands my attention. I have projects (knitting, crochet, weaving, etc.) all in mid creation while I get distracted by yet another think I need to learn or do. Is it the Alzheimer's or is it just a panic that has come over me to learn everything now that I know my time is limited? 

Who knows? 

4 babies last month! Aren't they cute? Part of what keeps me busy 😍

Aftermath of Alzheimer's Diagnoses

So, how did I wind up in Texas? After the diagnosis I found myself thinking about dying without experiencing life the way I wanted to. I thought that I needed to get out of the house more as I felt more and more like a prisoner. I convinced hubby that we should get a bigger travel trailer so that we could actually go camping and have space for our dog, cat, and birds. We did:

It was nice, but it just didn't do it for me. We were going camping to places I had been to many times before so there was nothing new about it at all. Then, I suggested that we sell the house and buy a new one and hubby firmly said, "never moving again unless I get to go home". By home, he meant Texas. (Retired from Luke outside of Phoenix after a 30 stint.) Over the years we have been married, 22 now, he said that many times and I would reply, "over my dead body". My friends, family, and everything I knew and loved was in Arizona. 

One day, I casually asked the hubby where he would like to live if he could go to Texas and what kind of house would he like. He, of course, thought that I was just curious and so he told me. Then off he went for a bit. When he came back, I showed him the house we now live in on the Internet and said, "what would you think of that". He, still thinking I was just playing around, said, "well, that would be just perfect". So, I said, "shall I call the realtor"? I will never forget the look on his face as he began to realize I was serious. 

And here we are getting ready to leave everyone and everything from my life so that he could return to his:

 

And, this is now home: