I noticed it's been ten days since my last entry and since this was originally to be a blog about mom I thought it time for an update. The pix is of the puzzle (300 pieces) she just completed over many days. It really gave her something to concentrate on.

She had her first Dr.'s appt last week. She did good on some of the memory test -- the counting backwards from 100 by sevens (surprise, surprise) and the reading what was written and writing a sentence herself and copying a drawing of squares. But she had no idea of the day, month, or year, season, or who the president was (she guessed Carter). When asked to remember three items (table, apple, penny) which she repeated at least a dozen times, after doing several other "testy things" she could not remember the three items. The doc even gave her blatant hints and all she would say is "they must not have been important to me!!!" After repeating them many times again and then doing other stuff he asked her again what the three items were and her reply was, "they obviously still aren't important to me!!!!" hee, hee.

They put her on Aricept for a month to start and see how she does. We go next week for blood work. After a month they may try adding Numenda too and then she will go for a neurological work up to rule out all other kinds of dementias.

She still askes almost daily when she is going home. She told everyone at the dr.'s office that she lived in CA, had a great house, lots of good neighbors, and friends at the church. We're trying to get her to know her address, but so far a loosing battle. Yesterday she asked me if she had arrived here on Wed. and if it wasn't time for her to go home yet? She thought she'd been here for only three days (not two weeks).

She loves to go out to eat and take us out to eat, but once we get to the restaurant it begins as a disaster. The menu is too large, too many choices and she gets confused. If we try to ease the process and order for her she gets indignant and wants to know why she can't order what she wants. She can't even tell you a catagory of food she'd like so the selection process can be shortened. It's frustrating and lengthy.

We've got bath time to Tues. and Sat. and she usually is OK with that. This last Sat. tho' we had a battle, with the water running she wanted to know how I could stand to live with an old lady who is so dirty and smelly!! We even have to fight to get her to change her underwear so you can see what I'm up against.

She's working on a new puzzle now (500 pieces) but it's too hard so we'll help her or change it for an easier one. I keep trying to find things for her to do but even the simplest things turn into a real challenge in her mind.

All for now, keep cards, phone calls, thoughts and prayers coming.