Expressing Gratitude Because I’m Cancer Free!

An interesting insight from a person with early onset dementia.

A Bit of Brian's Brilliance

By Brian LeBlanc

I’ve been in the room for “the talk” a lot. No, not that “talk.” The other talk. The scary talk. Lots of different types of scary talks, actually.

You know the talk I’m talking about. You know, when the doctor comes in the room in his white lab coat, looks down at the chart, and unveils some God-awful news. You pray it never has to happen to you … or a loved one … or a friend … or even your worst enemy.

But as you know, for some, it just happens. I first heard “Mr. LeBlanc, you have Alzheimer’s” in 2014. Then it was “Mr. LeBlanc, you have vascular dementia.” Scattered all around all that were a bevy of heart procedures, and let’s sprinkle in some diabetes for good measure.

So that’s why I’m so happy, excited, elated – absolutely pumped — to…

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Oh Help

So now, what does “press this” mean? Finding out. This all confuses me so.

Aphasia: ‘I Couldn’t Speak and I was Terrified’ By Brian LeBlanc

A Bit of Brian's Brilliance

A Bit of Brian’s BrillianceAlzheimer’s March 17, 2021

I woke up Saturday morning just like any other day. Maureen, was up before me, of course, as she moves like a cheetah, completely opposite of me as I move like a sloth. I just take my sweet time.

The gentle waves of Tampa Bay just outside our bedroom window glistened in the morning sunlight. So relaxing and peaceful, a wonderful way to wake up and prepare my mind for the daily grind of functioning and remembering. I said something briefly to Maureen, although being a bit foggy, I can’t remember what it was.

I finally sat up and tried to say something, and … NOTHING. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t think. I had my inner monologue. I could mouth words. They were right there on the tip of my tongue. But nothing. Silence. Pure silence. Frightening silence. Another attack of…

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Conjuring Leonard Cohen

“So I come here and write about art and music. The life of the mind. Matters of the sublime. I can barely get through my hygiene routine, and have trouble chewing and swallowing a meal, become confused transferring different foods in containers onto a plate and heating it in the microwave, but hey, I can still appreciate beauty, and can still use spell check.”

Suddenly Mad

Portrait of Caarin – September 2019

I am no good alone anymore. I was so much better than this. I could do this alone and I could do this with you. I miss me. I miss you. I miss who we were. (for Wayne)

*****

So glad that Caarin took me to see the Leonard Cohen exhibit at the Jewish Museum. The exhibit which closes Sunday, September 8, is titled, A Crack in Everything. The title comes from a verse in one of his poems.

Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That’s how the light gets in

I take that literally. To give credence to what I can share, and describe the  experience of pushing myself through the eye of the needle, and threading my words in some kind of order.

Leonard Cohen was a very lucky…

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The unbelievable story of Caarin showing up…

The reasons we are kept around to live life are often a mystery.

Suddenly Mad

I haven’t disappeared yet! I can still draw and write, although my motivation and ability to share has been tempered by a tumultuous month. I’ve been full of worry and woe, and haven’t wanted to share my personal life. Walking is far more difficult now, and I rarely go out alone now. I can still walk about a mile and half, but my gait is unbalanced. I ask my husband to hold my arm during our daily walks.

I can still access my computer, although just an hour ago, I opened my laptop and the screen was black, although it had been charging and I thought it was going to be fully charged. I called in a panic to my husband who was sleeping upstairs, and the poor guy came downstairs to help me. He held down the start button, and lo and behold, got this old laptop to start…

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An Alzheimer’s Poem

Another blogger with early-onset dementia who shares his life as the disease changes his brain.

Coronavirus, Alzheimer’s and me.

Mina still has so much to teach us.

“An Abundance of Caution” – my new favorite phrase to hate

Thank you for reposting this. If people follow the same preventative policies they should follow if they are caring for family members in a nursing home during a flu outbreak they’ll be safe, generally. With good hand washing and hygiene practices, most of us will not be affected by this outbreak and this will just be a drill for the case of a zombie attack.

Sunlight Shining Through Cloud

Life in the age of Coronavirus. News addicts like me are dangerously close to overdose. Entities of every stripe are rejiggering their operational models. And each will publish a press release that includes the phrase: …out of an abundance of caution…

To me, the phrase suggests that “we don’t really need to be this cautious, but we are anyway because we deeply care about you, our customers, clients, employees, etc.” They could, of course, truthify the wording to read: …our stakeholders (or, more specifically, shareholders).

The current reality is proving, though, that we really do need to be this cautious.

About ten years ago, I wrote an essay about a bacterium called MRSA. It was widely appreciated at the time, and seems to be holding its water still today – particularly the recommendations for prevention. MRSA is not coronavirus; think of the main text, below, as the alarmist attention-getting part…

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Emma Nielsen – Mind your ‘C’s and ‘S’s: The Language of Self-harm and Suicide (and why it matters)

Thank you for this information.

IMH Blog (Nottingham)

We all say things that we don’t mean sometimes. Perhaps the time that you snapped at the end of a long day or said that deliberately hurtful comment in the heat of an argument. Sometimes these instances are easily recognisable (perhaps easily apologised for). However, often our language conveys more subtle messages as well. Even everyday expressions may carry connotations we have not considered and speak to ideas we don’t condone. The words we use when we talk about self-harm and suicide show just that; while our language can convey compassion, provide hope, empowerment and optimism, we can also unwittingly express messages that divide and stigmatise.

I’m definitely guilty of this – while I may not like to admit it, my undergraduate notes are littered with phrases that now make me uneasy. Far from meaning to be impertinent, I was passionate about battling the silence and taboo surrounding mental health…

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New Year – New You – New Me

Chad Shipley

This is a tribute to all of you who are in the ring, in the FIRE, battling violently against self doubt, against worthless opposition, drama, and sideline loud mouths.

I hate bullies and I despise critics. I envy those who face the fire and put it all on the line, regardless of outcome. Success is in the process and putting in the work.

It’s in the pushups, not the 6 pack.

I’ve spent the last two weeks in self doubt, worrying about the views and vantage points of those that don’t matter.

Then I remembered MY JOURNEY.

1 year ago I decided to started down a physical journey.

Of PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION.

Deep down inside, we all want vitality.

And we all want to blaze our own paths….to build our own roads.

To control our own DESTINY.

I decided to destroy the DAD BOD and to do…

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