LEWY BODY DAILY JOURNAL

This is the story of Pam and John; she in her early 50’s and John is 62. Pam is a college professor. John taught at a local community college until diagnosed with Parkinson’s in March 2008, then Lewy Body Dementia in April.

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

what happened to this week?

Yesterday evening and all day today John and I were at an Enneagram retreat. Neither of us had worked with that system before--I had experience with Myers Briggs, he has never done anything like this. I enjoyed it; I like opportunities to listen to what is inside me, particularly if they are experiential more than didactic. And knowing that I am a type 1 does help me understand my patterns. John says he enjoyed most of it, though he isn't sure what type he is (he thinks maybe 4, I was leaning more towards 7). He was engaged. It was a nice small group--12 participants, many of whom we knew from UCC church.

John got angry and defensive Thursday when I went to find something in his aunt's apartment he hadn't been able to find. But at least some of the time he is able to divide things so that I do the complicated parts and he does the more day-to-day stuff. He is rising to the challenge and getting more done than he was a few weeks ago, though I did spend an hour Friday driving to pick up another copy of an xray because he wouldn't have thought it worth doing.

We have an appointment to meet with her doctor Monday afternoon. My greatest wish is for some kind of timetable--if things go well it might take her this long to get back to her apartment. But I don't think I will get it; no one knows how a 97 year old in exceptional health will respond. There are so many complicated issues. A medical supply company called about an order from the nursing home for a manual wheelchair for her and I said wait a second, Medicare won't pay for the power chair she will need if she gets a manual chair now. Pure luck that I know that.

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