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Thank you for visiting my blog and your kind comments. My beloved father suffered from AD and it is 2years since he forgot how to breathe. He was an amazing gentleman and never forgot his beautiful manners. He forgot my name but would never pass through a door in front of me. He forgot how to walk but never that Vic was ill. Your blog is amazing.
Your blog is amazing too, thank you for sharing your heart and wounds. How incredible he never forgot your darling daughter Vic was ill, which also means he never forgot her. Take great care.
Hi Kate – following our email exchange and the lovely time we spent together recently in sunny Adelaide it’s great to check out your site again and I look forward to reading about your recent activities.
All the best to you and Pete
Keith
Hi Kate, Richard Taylor told me about you,so I looked you up on the internet, I am in exactly the same position as both you and Richard, I had a website set up for me to tell anyone interested of my A/D affliction and how I am coping. please Google my website at………www.adbi.com.au…….I live in Queensland……Regards…Tony Hogben
Hi Tony, Thanks for swinging by, and I’ll have a read of your site soon. Take great care, Kate
Kate, I came to your site after you visited mine. I am so glad I did. What a wonderful opportunity. I just finished watching the little clip “what is this?”, which I loved. I too use my writing as a way of connecting to other interesting people who challenge me to go deeper. I look forward to reading more. Beth
Likewise Beth.
I have nominated you for the “Silver Quill Blogger Award”. See my post from today for details.
Thank you http://letstalkaboutfamily.wordpress.com/
You’re welcome, Kate. You certainly deserve it.
Kate, I am so enamoured of what you have written in your “about” section. What a journey you have before you. . .I can’t begin to imagine what that feels like for you. I do admire your wonderful attitude on life!!! I want to know more about you and follow you as you show the rest of us how to deal with such a diagnosis. You are quite the heroine! Keep doing what you’re doing. . .lots of us will be here waiting for you.
Blessings
Sandy Ozanich
Dear Sandy, I’ve just realised I have not replied, nor thanked you for your beautiful words and support. Thank you! Blessings to you too.
In addition to reading here, I just watched your debut rally speech on youtube and love and respect you for speaking out this way! You are truly helping show everyone how to handle these conditions with greater understanding and humanity. Thank you! Keep it up. I am pulling for you.
Thanks Ginny, and also for tuning into my blog!
Dear Kate.
It was lovely to meet you again at the launch of your DVD. With your permission we will show it to others in a similar situation and their carers, I know the strength you have shown in your journey will be a great inspiration to so many.
Thank you for making your story available.
David and Faizal
Thank you dear David and Faizel, it really meant a lot you were both there to support me. I hope the DVD helps others, which is the only reason I agreed to making it, so of course you can share it! Take care, Kate
Kate, My name is Tracey D. and I have finally sat down and have logged on to your blog. I met you a few weeks ago at the Consumer’s Alliance Group in Adelaide. I look forward to reading about your insight into the journey you are going through and experiences I might expect to share with my husband too. Thank you. Tracey D xxx
Thanks Tracey, and I’m glad you have tuned int. By the way, I htought it was quite a good first meeting. We just need to convert ideas and words into ACTION, the time old challenge of all committees! Take care and see you in September. xox
“My Unseen Disappearing World” 2012 Adelaide Fringe. I attended your show back in February. Thank you I am a Carer for my Wife Helen diagosed with Dementia in 2007. Your gave me some understanding of what was going through Helens mind the frustration and the daily battle to life normally as possible. You spoke well with passion I must Thank You for this and having the courage to share your story. Keep Strong and follow your passion.
Thank you Harry, I am glad to have given you some insight into Helen’s world. Take care
what an inspiration you are, keep fighting the good fight.
That is my best chance! And thanks for your stories about your travels through the differents lanes of death, a lovely light glimpse through your lens.
Hi Kate,
Have you ever considered including Coconut Oil in your diet? I see you are a keen cook, why not replace Margarine (full of deadly trams fats) with Coconut Oil…an oil with so many health properties…including the improvement in memory and cognitive decline…
Hi Julie, Thanks for the tip. I’ll try using it in some recipes, then add the ones that work.
You are a true inspiration! Thank you for sharing, i look forward to learning more from you and from your life experiences! Your making a difference that matters everyday!
God Bless You Always
I have received Candle Lighter Award and the One Lovely Blog Award and I am passing them on to you. Thank you for sharing you site. http://misskittyroads.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/honored-once-moretwice-actually/
Much love, Kitty
Thank you dear Miss Kitty, and for sharing your lovely blog too
Your blog is the first thing I read when I open my laptop in the morning. You seem to own such a strong wisdom!
It’s a good start of my day and a possible start since you are several hours ahead in time.
Thank you! / Inga-Lill
Thank you Inga-Lill – belated – as I’ve just noticed I’ve not responded to your wonderful comments. With love and hope.
Hello, you are an amazing person, mom, spouse, person living with the symptoms and disabilities of dementia. It is an honor for me to get to know you better through your blogs. I look forward to spending some time with when we are together in London at ADI
Richard Taylor
The feeling is very mutual… and see you in about 55 days! Kate
I wanted to let you know I have nominated your blog for Versatile Blogger, Please visit here: http://ayearwithhorses.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/touched/ to read why I chose you and to get the directions on what to do next.
I hope this year is wonderfully blessed.
- J.A.G.
Thank you … will have a look now, and I hope your year is blessed with love and health. Kate
I’m really inspired with your writing talents and also with the format on your blog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the nice high quality writing, it is rare to look a great weblog like this one these days. Goodbye from France
Hi Kate – on Friday I received a written reply from the Attorney General’s Department following a meeting with one of his staff members. My reason for meeting was to discuss my concerns about the lack of rights a person with dementia has in residential care. The reply was, to put it mildly, inadequate and totally naive. My concerns were passed on to the Human Rights policy branch and the writer pointed out that there is Accreditation, a Charter of Residents’ Rights and Responsibilities and the Complaints Scheme – so according to the writer a person with dementia can sit down and write down their complaints, they can read and understand the Charter or indeed make a verbal complaint. They apparently have the right to “move freely both within and outside the aged care home without undue restriction”. We all know that this is not true. So if the person suffering with dementia can ring, write or read and understand all these schemes and have freedom of movement – then we probably need to rewrite medical science!!!!! What an uphill battle this all is when I read such rubbish. But it is a battle that I will vehemently fight. All I can say to the politicians is ‘WAKE UP”. Now I have vented I feel much better. Hope and Love Robyn
Hi Kate
I have been without my broadband the last day, so am just catching up now. How did we live without this technology???
No I dont think you are too hard on the nursing staff. I think it comes down to the training and education of nurses, doctors and allied health. I believe your article is spot on. I too have been disturbed by how patients are treated in hospital – especially those who are aged and those suffering from dementia. I have known older people to be able to walk before they entered hospital and by the time they left couldnt walk, hardly feed themselves etc. and so they are diagnosed as high care and finish up in residential aged care.
My mother in law at 93 years old was admitted to a private hospital. Unfortunately, she died within a week of being in hospital. During this last week, she was bashed by another patient – I dont blame the elderly patient who bashed my mother in law but I do blame those who should have been caring for this woman in a more appropriate manner. I had to feed her and cut up her food, no one offered to do this – she couldnt do this herself and would have gone without. She didnt have an ability to read or work out the menu let alone tick the boxes – but they still gave her a menu to fill out herself. COME ON!!!
On the last day of my mother in laws life, she was moved into a single room. I came in to find her false teeth hanging out of mouth, her lips were so dry (I had to ask for mouth care and some ice!!!).
So yes, we still have a long way to go. Like you I continue to lobby, speak to whoever I can and advocate. I will do this until someone listens and there is a change in how we treat, respect and provide dignity for all those who at times have no voice. Its interesting when I heard that Government were looking at writing a Charter of Human Rights for Aged. We already have a Charter of Human Rights in Victoria and Canberra and soon to be Federally. If you look at the Charter, we just fall so far short for people who are aged and/or who suffer from dementia. The feedback I get when I speak about this is that yes, we know they do. Well, HELLO, to me its not rocket science, if the aged or those suffering from dementia were a psychiatric patient, an asylum seeker or a prisoner – they would have more rights than what they have now. Just how is this allowed to continue?
I spoke to a group of older people today. Its a group of senior citizens who meet on a weekly basis. They were telling me that the Council have taken away the bus and bus driver that would go and pick up the people to bring them to this day where they have lunch, play bingo etc. As most of the people cannot drive, some of them have stopped coming. They tell me they are even frightened to get a taxi . For some this day is the only day they get to go out and the Council have removed their transport. So, I am up to facing the Council on their behalf to get their bus and bus driver back. A dog with a bone!!!
Hope and love Robynx
Thanks for contact
Hi Kate,
Talking about legacy to children as you do above under “Home” I thought I might share a different take on “children”
To be child
and see the wonders
of this world.
To see a child
and know a wonder
of the world.
To know a child
and share the wonders
of his world.
To love a child
and know that he will grow
to cease to wonder
at this world
is when
the time has come
to start again
To be a child.
Thanks Kris… that is lovely. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
Hi Kate,
you have created a wonderful forum for documenting your journey through the condition you live with. This will be such an inspiration for other people who have similar experiences.I love the look of the blog and look forward to keeping up with your journey. Kerry from 100 leaders project
http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/730report/video/podcast/r840362_7836418.m4v
The link above is for you Sulls! xx
Thanks for sharing your story–I live in the US–and am 45 years old—I thought I had a stroke in 2007–and I had terrible migranes also—it was a terribly hot summer–and the neurologist said no Stroke-Yeah–but she saw brain atrophy–and she said it must be from alcohol abuse (and believe me–I told her no–I did not abuse alcohol like she suggested)–
after looking at my MRI-she said I am eventually going to come down with dementia– just like it happened to my grandfather in his late fourties… So I am fighting the fight right now–I take EGCG pills and also regular green tea extract, I walk three times a day–for almost 3 hours a day–and eat spinach/salads (I heard cinammon and coconut oil–helps dementia)-but my blood gets too thin–and I feel faint-/and have nose bleeds–, I can’t tolerate hot weather above 70 degrees–or I have vertigo. They should have a cure by now–for this disease—but trying to enjoy each day left on this earth. I can relate to your feelings–
Mari Indiana, usa
Kate, I just want to say publicly that you are the most inspiring person. Seriously. It is an absolute privilege to know you and have you in my life. I didn’t see the 7 30 report yet but my Aunty Moira has it saved. Thank you for sharing your story and giving such a valuable insight so that other people can understand at some basic level the challenges you face and the courageous way in which you are doing this. I bloody love ya Kate! Will catch up very soon!
Hi Kate,
Saw you on TV the other night and relate to your circumstances. I was particularly upset about the fact that traditional medicine has failed to offer any significant solution to your problem, not that this is unusual. I am one who believes that there may be a solution or at least a lot that can be done to ameliorate your outlook. If you are interested, can I refer you to a web page or would you like to talk? Here is the web site anyway for your background information.
http://www.in-sync-minerals.com
my email is terry@in-syncminerals.com
Kind regards and best of luck
Hi Kate Wonderful to meet with you yesterday at the march. Just wondering if those nits have been annoying you today (ha ha!!) – I am the one who loaned you my hairbrush. Would love to keep in touch. RobynX
Hello kate what a tower of strength you are! I work with these type of clients every day there are so many interesting features about all of my clients, If I may? may i keep in contact with you, to follow you on your journey with you? so i too in future are more able to assist to my clients with friendly loving reassurance, as where i work Parklands Cottage Inc. Every day is a new day with wonderful things to still experience in life flowers, birds, animals, smells, it would be a privelidge to follow you on your wonderful life & that every day is different. As long as we smile at least once a day i feel that i have made someone very happy.
thank you for allowing me to go with you on this endeavour that you are taking.xx
Belated thanks
Kate, I was very interested in your interview on TV. You are very brave to share your journey. I am having some of the difficulties you mentioned but the doctor is calling it ‘haemaplegic migraines’ Have you written a list of your symptoms that I could read? Thank you, Rae Anderson
better late than never… look on the Alzheimer’s Australia website for the symptoms, and also there are many on my Dementia page. Hope all is well?
Hi Kate, My name is Jane and Valerie S let me know about your blog. Am SOO glad that you have decided to write and I look forward to your insights.
warmly
Jane
Welcome, and thanks for joining the ride with me Jane. x