A Walk to Remember

This year we participated in "A Walk to Remember." Dan was gone so we did it without him....this time.

The opening ceremony was pretty inspiring. Families who have been affected, experiences, highs and lows.

The walk itself is 3-miles long. I split the kids into two jogging strollers (a big and a little kid in each). It worked out really well.

We can't wait for next years walk and the opportunity to celebrate a year that we are confident will hold many positives and many great memories.

A Walk to End Alzheimers

This year we are participating in "A Walk to End Alzheimer's." Here is the information:

http://walktoendalz.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=456931&lis=0&kntae456931=0091D742065A41F3AE9CF073DD171F71

A new tradition for us. And one with much meaning.

Memory Book

After much much research I finally decided on a memory book. It's from a company called Lifebio (they have an awesome website).

The book arrived yesterday. My plan is to pull out one question from the book each week and have the children interview grandma Nancy. If the question is about her favorite picnic, I'll pack a picnic and the children and Nancy can then chronicle their picnic together as well. If the question is about family, the boys can share their favorite memory as well. It'll be (hopefully) a side-by-side memory journal. That's the theory anyway.

Here's the link to the company:

http://www.lifebio.com/

Sensitivity

Joshua has always been our sensitive child. He wears his heart on his sleeve and therefore his emotions remain unhidden.

Since the diagnosis he has become extremely emotional and cries all the time.

If I say, "We are going to see grandma." He will reply, "Which grandma?" If I say, "Grandma Nancy," his response is always, "Good. I need to see her. I need to spend all my time with her."

We are trying to come up with ways to help him deal with his feelings and his fears. He has been given much extra time with grandma since the diagnosis.

Today I am researching:

A) Memory Books
B) Support Groups for Grandchildren of those afflicted with Alzheimers

The First Post

July 2011-

A family meeting was called and we were given the information that Grandma Nancy had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. The news was not easy to take. Not much information was known at that point, but in true Domrese fashion, family sticks together...closely.

Soon after, the Domrese children were given the news. It was given as delicately as possible (and most developmentally appropriate as possible) but was extremely hard for the children to understand.

They know:

a) grandma is sick
b) she is fine now, but will get worse slowly
c) she will start forgetting things and may eventually forget us

We cry for the uknown, we cry out of fear, and we cry for memories we fear we may  not be able to create.