Encompassing Designs
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Kits
    • Patterns >
      • Christine Little >
        • Signature Designs
        • New Designs
        • Seasonal Designs
      • Deborah Sweet
      • Susan Leslie
      • Patricia Perry
      • William Morris
    • Supplies >
      • Backings
      • Frames
      • Hooks
      • Books
      • Extra
    • Wool >
      • Abrashed
      • Custom Dyeing
      • Dyed Bundles
      • Dyed Curly Mohair
      • Dyed Spots
      • Dyed Values
      • Dyed Yarn
      • Jacquard Dice Dyes
      • Natural & Colours
      • Plaids & Textures
      • Dye Books & Swatches
  • Ordering
  • Blog
  • Workshops
  • Our Story
  • Contact Us

Alzheimer's.....the thief of memories.....

8/14/2013

3 Comments

 
Picture
There’s nothing funny about Alzheimer's although I hear the jokes all the time. You get to make new friends every day and a recent one, you can hide your own Easter eggs.  We joke because  the truth of the matter is too cruel to comprehend and humour helps lighten the load. But for those of you who have tended to a person suffering from this disease there is nothing to laugh about.  

So far  my family and friends have been lucky, but my nursing home stint saw the devastation first hand.  What a mean spirited disease, stealing your loved one twice.  The theft of the mind, and then the physical body. 
 
We used to call the patients hall dusters in the home. Drifters going up and down the halls running their hand across the railing or wall. Back and forth, all day long,  no idea they are even on the planet or at least that's how it seems to the observer...who knows what is really going on in the depth of the mind.  The sadness that impacted me is something I will never forget.   I hope my loved ones and dear friends never have to experience this devastation first or second hand.   I can’t imagine being diagnosed and handed down that kind of death sentence. Knowing I will loose all comprehension, being a stranger to my son and husband is sad beyond words, but ironically...it might be easier than watching it happen to either of them.  As in the little picture above, being able to forget might be a blessing as this disease slowly engulfs your memories, it's your loved ones that will have to learn to carry on with the shell that remains.   


About a month ago, an old school chum dropped by with her mother. I was taken by how childlike the mother was, sitting on the trunk playing with my dogs.  She seemed to remember me, looked around and said........"I walk by here everyday but never knew you had this store."    My heart sank, for she had been in the shop several times and bought a piece of my jewellery.  Out of ear shot, my friend told me that her mother was suffering from dementia.  So sad.  But, I was taken by her jovial, almost giddy personality. I'm not familiar with this stage of dementia.  Most of the people in the nursing home were beyond this and some were quite depressed needing medication to quiet the anger.   My heart bled for my  friend as her journey will be long on a very rough road. 

The other evening we were watching a show on PBS and they were talking about who will and who won’t contract this illness.  They talked about social circles, the wider it expands the less chance of becoming ill.  If you stay at home and wander out infrequently, not much farther than for provision shopping, it's a  precursor to Alzheimer's.   If you work and your social circle encompasses the job place and friends from that, then the chances decrease slightly.  Exercise is also a factor in the longevity of neuroplasticity.  The more you do and the larger your social circle the less likely you will succumb to dementia. 
 
I’m one of those people who love to be in their home and although I go out to work I don’t venture much farther than that.  I exercise my jaw more than my body and have a limited circle of good friends.  If all these factors are true,  I’m the poster child for the disease.  The mileage on our car annually is around 8000 km, the average person puts on 20,000 so that tells you I don't go very far...mostly to the airport to pick up or deliver hubby.   Being told your social circle influences the chance of getting Alzheimer’s wasn’t the kind of news I wanted to hear and I turned to hubby and spouted…."Oh my god…..I’m going to die of Alzheimer's!" 

Apparently the more your brain is stimulated with relationships and adventures the more likely you are to escape the grips of memory loss. They did go on to say that creativity improves your chances so that might balance out my love of home mentality so I'll come out in a better place, otherwise I’m screwed.  People who travel do well, experience the world and all its wonder. People with a large social circle, having a lot of friends and are active within groups do well so rug hooking can help keep our mind muscles flexing.  
 
Now I know this isn’t carved in stone, just statistically we appear to fit into a certain mold and it was scary to hear.  Whatever happened to the aluminum cause?...that was easy to avoid...I can't avoid my home, nor do I want too.  So I felt inclined to spread awareness and say, get out of your homes people, go to parties, exercise, have fun, take up rug hooking or bingo or maybe line dancing, whatever it takes to get you out and active to stimulate body and brain to optimum health......apparently it's use it or loose it!  


I suppose now I’ll have to make an effort to friend up a few more people and up my chances of keeping the grey cells intact. Guess I shouldn’t have turned down that dinner invite for Friday evening because during Chester Race week all the sailors and  wives gather to break bread and catch up on news.  I’m just tired this week and figured by Friday I’d be zonked so I begged off but if it will save my brain, maybe I should go…….

Picture
3 Comments
allyson
8/14/2013 04:38:02 am

Interesting post. My mom has Alzheimers, over 5 years now and she's basically non-verbal and recognizes only three people. She is very jovial though and the only thing she still says is "I love you" to every human being she sees, all day long. It is a devastating disease and terrible to watch. I would rather die of almost anything else, having watched this disease rob my mother of her 'self'.
I hadn't heard this new research, but it makes sense from a standpoint of keeping your mind active. I wouldn't take it literally though, but just do everything you can to keep your brain stimulated (crossword puzzles, learning new things, reading, creating) and be as healthy as you can be. My mom travelled extensively and had a huge network of friends, being quite a social butterfly - didn't help her at all.
Don't worry about it, just keep your brain busy. Have you every tried Lumosity? It's great for challenging your mind, and it's fun too. :)

Reply
Roslyn link
8/14/2013 11:46:15 am

Hi, I have just read your comments on dementia and although I agree to some extents not all is as it states. My Mum was diagnosed almost 6 years ago with frontal lobe dementia which robs the short term memory. Fortunately she still knows those who visit her frequently but as each week passes this is changing and she is now withdrawing into herself. Now my Mum was ever so active in her social life, did lots of exercise in the sports she did and loved every aspect of crafts from knitting, embroidery, patchwork, bear making she tried her hand at most things, Was a prolific reader and loved crosswords. I looked back into our past family members on both sides of my parents and there was some alzhiemers there although in the early days it was called senile dementia so even though the experts say at times it is not hereditory there may just be. Like you I worry for myself seeing my Mum go through this and I am all that she was. It is one of the worst deseases I think one could get.
Thank you for your interesting post.
(((HUGS))) Roz.

Reply
Christine
8/14/2013 12:54:42 pm

Thank you Allyson and Roz for your comments, I really appreciate hearing opinions and thoughts on things I write. It sometimes feels like the words just disappear into cyber space.

So sorry to hear you've both been touched by this devastating disease. The show did say that other factors come in to play such as heredity, they've just found a link between less active lifestyles and the illness. There is so much we don't know and need to study to beat it back to submission. One thing I found interesting is that you both mentioned cross word puzzles and this show specifically pointed out that doing these puzzles was not the kind of stimulus needed to keep the brain sharp...that comes from other parts of memory. They explained why but I really can't remember the answer.

I've never heard of Lumosity so I looked it up and I can see the merits in mental exercises...thanks for the enlightenment....I like to know these things!

I hope all the designing of patterns and writing I do is helpful for me to remain sharp and I am going to try to be a bit less antisocial in my personal life. I just really love the down time in my home with my hubby and pups...I've always viewed this quiet time as priceless so I hate to be told it may cost!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Christine Little has been ranked #5​ out of the 60 top rug hooking bloggers by Rug Hooking Magazine!

    Picture
    Picture
    Max Anderson, Australia, recipient of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug.  An award of excellence for promoting Canada through his writing.  
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2023
    July 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    July 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012

    Picture
    Picture
    Gift Certificates are available for that special rug hooker in your life!  Any denomination, no expiry date! 

    Picture

    Categories
    (Click on the categories for past blogs)

    All
    Announcements
    Beginner Class
    Christmas
    Colour Planning
    Contests
    Copyright
    Coupon
    Customer Rugs
    Cutter Servicing
    Dyeing
    Equipment
    Featured Hooker
    Giveaway Draw
    Guest Blogger
    Guest Blogger
    Health & Fitness
    Home & Heart
    Hooked Rugs
    Hooking Groups
    Hook In Talk
    Initially Yours
    Jibber Jabber
    Just A Bit Of Fun!
    Life's Experiences
    Life's Experiences
    New Design
    New Ideas
    Pattern Of The Week
    Patterns Hooked
    Pets
    Rants
    Recipes
    Rememberingfbe7326ff7
    Rug Schools
    Show & Tell
    Show-tell
    The Rant
    Tips Technique
    Tips Techniquef0cd117ab4
    Visitors
    Workshops

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture





















    Picture
    We have a pot to "Fiz" in!

Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM 
Saturdays 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
We are closed during ice and snow storms
​so please call ahead.  If school is cancelled we probably are as well.  

Toll Free: 1-855-624-0370
Local: 1-902-624-0370​
encompassingdesigns@gmail.com

498 Main Street
P.O. Box 437
Mahone Bay, N.S.
Canada B0J 2E0

​Follow us and keep up to date
on our specials, new products
​and events!
Picture
Picture
Picture


Home
Shop
Ordering
Blog
Our Story
Workshops

Contact Us




​​​© Copyright 2023 Encompassing Designs. Website by SKYSAIL