In Down down up, I made the case that there was no denying Burt’s impairments. He’s no longer tethered to his Wall Street past, except for his frequent talk of money and time. He doesn’t see the companion of his journey by his side but lives with lots of imagined company. (Let me clarify, althoughContinue reading “Amazing”
Tag Archives: #challenges
Down down up
When I speak of Burt’s return or of an upswing, I am grading on a curve. After his recent declines, he has not achieved clarity, coherence, or cognitive functioning. He tells me of imagined trips where he met people with wonderfully unlikely names. He insists I bring Tamara to him when I say, “I’m yourContinue reading “Down down up”
A timeline
Burt had a sudden downturn starting in October. Although I have documented Burt’s decline, I am still unsure of the actual events. His decline has been incremental and gradual. It has also come on suddenly, precipitously and unexpectedly. In October, things like confusion and hallucinations seemed more noticeable. Soon thereafter, one of his aides andContinue reading “A timeline”
Xtra xtra read all about it
Today, after resisting when our weekend guy put him in a sitting position, Burt settled into it. He relaxed and held himself up. This was unusual for him as he generally sinks back. Not unexpectedly, he started talking. His narrative ran into unfamiliar territory as he started discussing getting up. We perked up. His aideContinue reading “Xtra xtra read all about it”
The sign
It’s been at least two years since I first met this sign on a stretch of East End Avenue. I took it both at face value and as an indicator. Life, our life, had definitely hit a patch of the rough. In our case, we had not had or did not heed or were notContinue reading “The sign”
Lunacy
One of my fellow LBD spouses has been pushing the idea that a full moon influences behavior in our loved ones. I was skeptical. I tend to be. Serves me right that on Saturday with a full moon looming outside my window, Burt was awake and conversing until 2:30 in the morning. Full moon. StrangeContinue reading “Lunacy”
A weekend routine
We were going out on Saturdays and Sundays. We went to Karl Schurz Park or to watch the waters along the East River Esplanade. We stopped at an ice cream parlor on our route to or from. When the park outings proved too much, we still went out for an ice cream. We went out.Continue reading “A weekend routine”
Mayhem
Burt asked me if I knew that guy. I listened a little harder, had he said Maynard? The guy, he repeated, «Mayhem«. His question gave me chills. I thought of the character Dean Winters plays in a TV ad, but I also thought of the mayhem LBD causes, the disruption in our lives and inContinue reading “Mayhem”
It’s never too late
The jingle about Jello Instant Pudding® is running through my head right now, but honestly this is a serious post about a serious question. The other night, Burt, in the midst of his confusion, was lamenting how “sick” he feels. My response was to tell him that whatever was bothering him, hurting him and upsettingContinue reading “It’s never too late”
Rapid
My sense is that Burt started his path in LBD at an advanced stage. From the get-go he went from a period of apathy to being fully confused in what felt like 60 seconds. Capgras was one major symptom; little people enhabited our home; he needed reassurance that he was home. Meds helped a lotContinue reading “Rapid”
this is our life 