I may have mentioned in another blog that I am caring for my mother who has Alzheimer's Disease. Early this Fall, she went through a period of off-and-on illness that was very puzzling. About three months ago now, she became ill. ...Just not feeling well, in addition to the ongoing increasing confusion, falling about every two weeks or so, and not being able to eat much, and a great deal of sleeping. With Alzheimer's, one is never quite sure just what is going on. It's like taking care of a baby. You know the baby is not well, but it's nearly impossible to discover what the problem is without taking the child to a doctor. Well, after several doctors visits, scans, and blood tests, it was determined that her electrolytes were off and she was dehydrated. The doctor prescribed Gatorade G2, which is excellent for replacing electrolytes, to replace her water requirement, and she slowly got better. She has not fallen in over a few months (as opposed to a few times a month for over a year!), does not "space out," and although the confusion is still present along with other Alzheimer's symptoms, she is doing a whole lot better. I can only feel that if she had been taking care of herself by not fighting her liquid intake, she would still be in robust health. Old people are tricky though, and my mom still hates to drink her daily fluids. She says she has to go to the bathroom all the time. She used to pour her water down the sink when I wasn't looking. Now, I use a drinking jug she can't figure out how to open so she has to drink it all! There is a twisted sort of humor to the situation!
One thing has stood out alarmingly for me, and I really want to share this loud and clear:
Drink enough fluids!
After many situations, some of which have been medically desperate, it became very clear to me that my mother's refusal to drink anything more than a minimal amount of water and other fluids over many years has caused her repeated health issues, and brought a lot of worry, fear and grief to her loved ones. ...And trips to the emergency room. Who knows what deficiencies were caused because of low fluid intake. I shudder to think about it! To make things more complicated, after about the age of 50, our sense of thirst diminishes, but not our need for fluids! Here is a link to a sight that discusses dehydration in detail. Take a few moments to visit them and read about this very important subject. You might even find that you are experiencing some of these symptoms and had no clue that you needed more fluids.
...And how much do you need to drink each day? Well, here is another link from the Mayo Clinic about that subject. So, go grab a glass of delicious water, ...and Cheers to you health!
I have been having fun this weekend. Creating is always fun. ...Sometimes frustrating, but all the more rewarding in the end. Last weekend, we all went to the Gem & Mineral Show at the fairgrounds. I bought a few beads and geodes, ...not much, but my intention was to dabble. Now, I really wish I had been far more indulgent, as I could make a few of these every day. Each one has its own character, and males me feel (in my own mind anyway) just the teeniest bit akin to great sculptors such a Michelangelo. Yeah, I know that's a stretch, but simply putting oneself into the position of taking a naturally beautiful thing and then attempting to co-create with it is awesome. Here is what I did....
I have already worn the Blue pin with my Jane Thornley Organic Wrap. It held it on and in place perfectly.PS: I know I am just a beginner
Where has this month gone? I am absolutely aghast that it is now at the end of the month, and we are ready to rush headlong into the holiday season. Saying that I have been busy is an understatement.I came up with yet another option for a shrug closure. I simply found a twig in the back yarn that needed pruning, and then trimmed it to the right length. After stripping the outer bark off, as well as scraping the green inner bark off too, I let it dry for a few days. Then, I shaped and smoothed it with sandpaper, added some stain and paint, and let it dry. I am able to easily push the twig into the stitches on each center front of the garment, and then slip a tie I created from icord with bead clusters on each end, over the ends of the twig. It looks very Oriental, somewhat Zen-ish, and adds a simple yet eloquent effect.
There is a new project on the needles now too. After buying some yarn that took my fancy a few months ago, and having a few frustrating tries to knit it into something, I almost gave up hope that it would come out looking like anything I wanted. The yarns outstanding feature was that it is cream with flecks of orange and green. Attempts to combine it with with those solid colors made me gag. Not to be daunted, I got crazy one day and just began adding in strips of yarn to the knitting, and leaving tails hanging everywhere. ...And I liked it! This project is a very simple top-down knit garment that is being designed as I go along. At this point, it is a cropped top, with a U-shaped neckline and rust picot edging trim at the dropped shoulder edge and around the hem, I plan to add length and do this in sampler panels of color and pattern, keeping it all as simple as possible.
This past weekend, was the annual Gem & Mineral Show. I haven't missed one in over 20 years now. I just love going and talking to the rockhounds, and getting to see and hold beautiful crystals from all over the world. This year, I was surprised to see ancient Chinese "Prayer Wheels." These are mostly small discs, with a few characters carved into the sides. They were traditionally placed into the graves of those departed loved ones, to give them an eternal prayer for happiness and good fortune on the other side. The vendor told me that plans for a new dam meant that many graves had to be moved. In the process, these prayer wheels were removed, and ended up being "available for sale." To put it as my husband said: "Some things aren't meant to be sold." I did not bring one of those home with me, but I did find several small geode pieces to make into more fibula pins. Here is the first one, which I made yesterday.
...And may the blessings remain with the ancestors.
