Preparing for Your Doctor’s Visit

Preparing for Your Doctor’s Visit

I believe that it is very important for our doctors to listen what you think is wrong in your body.   It gives the doctors a place to start.  Doctors need tools.  You can be one of those tools when you prepare for your doctor’s visit.    

                                    

Fill out the information below to the best of your ability. Share it with your doctor. Be open and honest in answering any questions   your doctor may ask you about the changes you’ve been experiencing.

Has your health, memory or mood changed?

How did it change?

When did you first notice the change?

How often does it happen?

When does it happen? Is it always at a certain time of day?

What do you do when it happens?

What behaviors are the same?

Do you have problems with any of the following?

Please check the answer.

Repeating or asking the same thing over and over?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes    ❒ Frequently   ❒ Does not apply

Remembering appointments, family occasions, holidays?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes    ❒ Frequently   ❒ Does not apply

Writing checks, paying bills, balancing the checkbook?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes    ❒ Frequently   ❒ Does not apply

Shopping independently (e.g., for clothing or groceries)?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes  ❒ Frequently ❒ Does not apply

Taking medications according to the instructions?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes    ❒ Frequently   ❒ Does not apply

Getting lost while walking or driving in familiar places?

❒ Not at all    ❒ Sometimes    ❒ Frequently   ❒ Does not apply

Medications and medical history

List medications (dosage, frequency) including over-the-counter and prescription:

List vitamins and herbal supplements:

List current medical conditions:

List past medical conditions:

Questions to ask the doctor

What are the tests I need to take and how long will it take to get a diagnosis?

Will you refer me to a specialist?

Could the medicines I’m taking be causing my symptoms?

Do I have any other conditions that could be causing my symptoms or making them worse?

What should I expect if it is Alzheimer’s?

Which treatments are available for Alzheimer’s? What are the risks and benefits and possible side effects?

What about participating in a clinical trial? What are the risks and benefits?

Is there anything else I should know?

When should I come back for another visit?

“Some information in this tool was developed for the Chronic Care Networks for Alzheimer’s Disease (CCN/AD) project and is the joint property of the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Chronic Care Consortium”

ARE WE ALONE?

Are We Alone?

The other day I was having a pity party for myself.  No one was in the room or in the house.  Crying out loud, wiping eyes, nose running.  No one loved me.  No one really knows what it feels like being an Alzheimer person.  Then I stopped and cleaned up my face knowing that I am loved and not alone.

My God is here.  God is unconditional Love.  God loves me.  God is my higher power.  I looked back in my journal to read the blessings I can remember God gave me.  I will share the first one of those journal entries with you. 

The Date:  Sept 7, 2010.  Title:  Alzheimer Sucks.  Sorry, it hit me and I was mad, sad, and I did not want to write anything that day, but then, I remembered that God has blessed me a lot. I started to write of those blessing that day.  I believe the Holy Spirit had a part in my writing that day: 

Lord, I pray that I may follow your path.  You are the one that can keep me in Peace:

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can (and)

The wisdom to know the difference.

First blessing I was reminded of that day when I talked to the Father: 

God, you gave me birth through my parents.  I didn’t really know you but I was drawn to you when I was 8 years old and I asked my parents if I could go to the church on the next road.  It was the Methodist Church and a Pastor named Elsie.  I met you there.  I learned about you.  I learned to know your words in the Bible, learned to love you, to know to go to you, to pray.  As I got older, I didn’t always listen to you and I got into trouble in my life.  But, you were always there.  I did not always follow your path, I did not know that I was worthy.  Then one day, you put books in front of me, one of which was a Gospel book.  In that book, you taught me again that you loved me, unconditionally.  God, you forgave me.  Thank You, Lord, you started to change me, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.  Thank you, Lord. 

I was never alone!  We are never alone!  There are ways that we can be comforted in our homes or elsewhere.  If we have pets, snuggle up.  If you like reading, watching TV, talk to friends on the phone, etc.  For me, a primary source of comfort is the Bible, and Psalm 23.  Try it. 

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

For His name’s sake,

Even though I walk through darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.

Meditation for the Day – May 6

A Meditation for the Day – May 6

“The way sometimes seems long and weary!  So many people today are weary.  The weariness of others must often be shared by me.  The weary and the heavy laden, when they come to me, should be helped to find the rest that I have found.  There is only one cure for world-weariness and that is turning to spiritual things.  In order to help bring about the turning of the weary world to God, I must dare to suffer, dare to conquer selfishness in myself, and dare to be filled with spiritual peace in the face of all the weariness of the world.” 

-- From Twenty-Four Hours a Day © 1975 by Hazelden Foundation.

I understand:  We can make a difference in the world. 

When we see someone that looks all in, burned-out, fatigued, pooped, tired or tapped out we can make a change in their lives.  We can pray, listen, hands on their shoulder, ask if we can help them or let them know we care.  We will make a difference. 

In order to do this, we need to take care of ourselves:

Keep our brains working:  

When we take a chance to do something that is challenging to us, try it.  If it doesn’t work it is not a fail, because your brain got smarter. 

Exercise:

Walk outside.  Walk inside.  Exercise while in your chair watching TV.  Move your arms, neck, fingers, laugh, dance, do dishes, just take it at your rate and sit when you need. 

Food:  

Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, lean meat, fish, rice, potatoes

Spiritual:  

Pray for others, for self, journal, have quiet time with your God

Today, for me, clouds of weariness are popping up when not wanted.  One minute I feel great and then, I am exhausted. 

Thankful that it does not happen all the time.  Sometimes, I know that there are times that I can’t understand why I don’t what to go places that I really like to go to.  Sometimes, it could be I worked too hard or did not take my nap.  Oops!  Most of the time, this happens in the evening. 

I do know that I can make it better:  I can pray for strength, for endurance or for freshness.  I can dance with God as I sit in my chair listening to the music.  Picks me right up!  I can pick up a phone and call a sister that makes me laugh or have my husband hug me. 

I prayed, worked on the blog for this reading, ate healthy food, and walked around the street.

I also know that Christ is with me whether I am down or up.

When we think that we are getting wearied, bushed, jaded, wiped out or tuckered out, we know we are not alone and we have ways to stop the weariness.  Thank You, God!

A New Day

It is a new day.  My day!   What a blessing.  Thank you, Lord!    So God, what will I do today?

This is how I try to start every day.  And it is how I began Monday, May 2. 

My brain is moving.  Will I remember where I need to go this morning?  Then, I remembered I would be picking up my mom and a friend, Gracia, to go out for breakfast.  We will go to the restaurant to meet up with nurses that I worked with.   We are all retired now.  We had a good time sharing stories. 

One the way home, mom and I stopped to get our backs put back in place (at the chiropractor’s office). 

My husband, Butch, told me our granddaughter would be at our house and we would be taking her out to lunch.  We had a great time together.  She will be a senior in High School in September.  She is great young lady.  

Then it was time to go and get food for the week.   I have been watching Dr. Oz on TV.  Today, we will be buying food that is good for people who have Alzheimer’s Disease.  A few of the foods are:  strawberries, apricots, most berries, and vegetables that are red, yellow, purple, green, meat, chicken, turkey, lean meat.  I like purple potato, purple kale and purple cabbage. 

Oops!  Too much!  I did not take a rest time.  I have to do it.  I want to do everything that I used to do.  I have to slow down or take a nap which will balance my day. 

Then it is night and I am tired.  I have to tell myself, Sara, go to bed now.   It is hard for me, I will work at it. 

I planned to get this blog posted today, but I am tired.  It may be tomorrow.   

Good Night! 

What do you want to know?

What do you want to know?

Here are some of Places to find help, support, and what is going on in the research areas.

Alzheimer’s  Association                       www.alz.org    

24/7 Helpline    800.272.3900

You can find where your state association close to you.

Greater Michigan Chapter                  www.alz.org/gmc                                                                                                                                    Central Michigan Region                      patricia.meyer@alz.org                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Larry King special looks into Alzheimer's disease

Hosted by Larry King, "Unthinkable: the Alzheimer's Epidemic," airing Sunday, May 1, at 8 p.m. EDT, will discuss Alzheimer's disease, who gets it and why, and the race to find effective treatments and a possible cure. King, in his first CNN special since ending his long-running interview show, will be joined by California's former First Lady and Alzheimer's activist Maria Shriver, Alzheimer's Association Champions actor Seth Rogen and football star Terrell Owens and others touched by the disease. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will also explain how Alzheimer's disease affects the brain.
      

The special will re-air Saturday, May 7, at 8 pm ET/PT.