Archive for August, 2008

14
Aug

Rising Depression In Seniors Over 65

   Posted by: jude   in Senior Health

There seems to be a huge problem with depression in the elderly and it’s hard to believe that the National Institute of Health says that at least 35 million seniors in America over the age of 65 suffer from depression and at least 2 million from major depression. Many people believe that depression is a natural part of aging, but is that really true? As far as I can see there is nothing natural or normal about depression and no one should have to suffer.

It’s reported that more women at any age has more bouts with depression than men, but I think that’s because men simply haven’t been encouraged to show they have problems and it makes them appear weak if they do. Men have a harder time sharing than women do, but if you know the signs to look out for then you can easily tell when depression is present. I know when I was being treated for depression the women always out numbered the men. It seems depression for men is something to keep silent about.

As we get older it does seem that there are more unique circumstances to concern ourselves with because of numerous health issues that occur from aging, chronic pain and for many loss of independence. Our seniors from the generation they grew up in were taught to take it like a man and keep your personal issues to yourself and weren’t encouraged to talk about their feelings so as we all know many of the older seniors feel very uncomfortable doing so.

There is a wide assumption held that the aging process naturally causes a person to slow down, which in many cases it does, but just because your aging doesn’t mean you should lose interest in activities that once gave you joy. Many things can cause bouts of depression like prescription medications, declining financial situations, self-image issues brought on by surgery or disease. Feeling like you’ve lost your purpose in life because your children are grown.

Many feel because they no longer hold down a job that they have nothing left to contribute and these things can increase the risk of depression in seniors. Many doctors that treat the older seniors tend to concentrate on physical ailments and don’t always see the signs of depression that they might be suffering from like loneliness and feelings of hopelessness especially if they have lost their companion of decades.

Thank goodness the Baby Boomers are staying more active unlike our older seniors who were taught to keep it all inside, even despite the raging depression among the older seniors you will still see a majority that stay active and enjoy their lives up into their 70′s and 80′s and despite what health officials tell us we are living a lot longer these days and there is no reason that our elders should suffer depression because they feel isolated and alone.

We should all practise a few acts of random kindness toward our older generation. Make a point to say a few kind words to that old lady that has a house full of cats or that mean old grumpy man that never has any family or visitors around, you may be surprised at how much a little kindness could make such a big difference in another human life especially if they are elderly and feel isolated and alone.

13
Aug

Eric's Pond And Jack Russell

   Posted by: jude   in Home and Family

Eric and his young family are living in a converted barn right now and he has so many plans pertaining to the 10 acres of land he purchased in Kentucky before he was diagnosed and I don’t think he is going to let his illness stop him. He plans to build a house where the trees are on this little hill so he can look down on his pond.

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When I wasn’t at the hospital with Eric I spent my time meditating and listening to the bullfrogs, crickets, different kinds of birds like the one that says bob white, bob white or at least that’s what it sounds like it says and watching and feeding his  ducks and watching the fish jump in and out of the water and it had a very calming effect on me.

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One of the technicians that was administering his chemo was explaining to him that he had to watch being around children that are sick and bugs that can bite and cause easy infections and also warned against dog scratches and bites and immediately he thought he would have to get rid of his 7 month old Jack Russell, Chloe because she is very attached to him.

I decided to go to the pet store and look for boots for Chloe and the pictures below show her in her little boots. I don’t think they will work for very long because she’s very active and I had to go find them several times when she went outside, but I know they didn’t want to get rid of her permanently so hopefully they can train her to be careful around Eric and Ethan.

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The following list of blogs were kind enough to leave a thoughtful comment and a prayer for my son and I really want them to know how much I appreciate it and so does my son and his family. My son has been added to so many prayer lists all over the country through family and friends and all of those prayers are certainly appreciated also.

I do believe in the power of positive thoughts and prayer and when I was down there I picked through many small crosses till I found the following one and my son scooped it up straight away and stuck it in his pocket and told me it would never be out of his sight or possession. He jokingly said he might even put it on a chain and wear it around his neck even though it is a bit large for that.

The shape of the cross reminds him of the cross where he has decided to be buried in Sewanee, Tennessee which he has a picture of and showed it to me after I had given him the small one and it was weird that it was made in the same shape. Below is the cross and the list of thoughtful bloggers.
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mamamentor.com
pamibe.com
communicationexchange.blogspot.com
mommyba.com
karenzemek.blogspot.com
oceanofperspectives.com
wisdomhypnosis.blogspot.com
eyespi20.com
dietpulpit.com
carolesthoughtfulspot.blogspot.com
benspark.com
travellingspouse.blogspot.com
windmillofmymind.com
babyerika.blogspot.com
sewingmom.com
babykeisha.blogspot.com
cheapkeywords.info
midlifemisfit.com
newyorktraveler.net
ettarose-edgeofsanity.blogspot.com
manilenya.com
amylilleydesigns.blogspot.com
mamaflosatx.com/ 
onlinebiz-my.blogspot.com

11
Aug

More About My Trip To Kentucky

   Posted by: jude   in Home and Family

I haven’t driven much in 5 years because when we go on a trip Bill does all the driving, I guess he trusts his driving over mine and I can’t say that I blame him. People scare the daylights out of me because they are always talking on their cell phones and not paying attention to where they are going.

I’m usually okay driving a few miles here and there so when I left for Kentucky by myself I was a nervous wreck. I had directions from Bill to use the turnpike to New Stanton and then through Cincinnati down to Kentucky and I took along the Garmin GPS that the kids had gotten us for Christmas.

Apparently Miss Garmin had another route mapped out for me because she kept trying to make me turn off at every exit. When I got off at the New Stanton exit I thought she was okay and would get me the rest of the way there, but she apparently was going to have her way and since I didn’t know the roads before I knew what had happened she had me turned around on the turnpike going back the way I had just come.

Thank God There was an exit 16 miles down the road where I could turn around and go back to the point I wanted and it was only 32 miles out of the way instead of the 80 something to where she was taking me. When I got back to New Stanton I reset the address where I was going to my Son’s house and she finally started cooperating with me.

I really appreciated that tracking system because it finally got me to my destination without much hassle after that and she became my best friend taking me back and forth to the hospital on roads that I wasn’t familiar with. Of course after 2 weeks I became familiar with those roads except at night. Eric was in the hospital for 16 days and I’ve never seen anyone with as many doctors as he had.

They did MRI’s, Cat scans, and Pet scans, some of the scans didn’t pick up the masses while others did. They collapsed every vein in his arms and hands until they finally listened to his wife and put in the pick line which he took 3 chemo treatments through before he lost trust in the doctors there and finally had himself discharged so he could make arrangements to go the 5th ranked cancer institute in the Nation.

They had to remove the pick line so when he goes to Louisville they will either have to reinsert it or he was talking about getting the port, but he wants to make sure that it wont be harmful to his wife and baby first. They did the Chamberlain procedure, where they cut out a piece of cartilage and go in and take a section. See photo below of my son.

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The doctor tried to match his tattoo up, but that was the least of Eric’s concerns. His Oncologist told me that it was a good thing that he has a lot of extra weight. I always worried about all his weight before, but now I’m grateful for it because he will have more to fight with. He has already lost 24 pounds in 3 weeks though, but a lot of that is connected to the gall bladder which he initially went in to have removed.

If they had removed that when they did the Chamberlain procedure he would have been healed before they started the chemo, but now he’s still in pain with the gallbladder and stones and needs to eat a very low protein diet so he doesn’t get sick from that. They also put him on Methadone for pain and nauseousness from the Chemo and he started having hallucinations and visions.

He actually left the hospital at one point on his own, walking, out of his head from all the crap they had been giving him, on a mission from God to save the world. Hospital security finally alerted the city police who eventually found him laying by the side of the road waiting for his wife to come find him. He had called me and every number in his phone to let everyone know that he loved them and had been saved by God and he was on a mission for God.

The police manhandled him causing injury to his ribs on top of everything else and took him to the emergency room in handcuffs and then shackled him to the bed. I knew that the Methadone had messed with my son’s mind because he was fine till they gave that to him and after he refused to take any more of it he slowly returned to himself. What a frigging nightmare. Below is a picture of Ethan and Dad, click for a larger view.

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7
Aug

Thanks For All Your Prayers

   Posted by: jude   in Home and Family

I just got back from Kentucky and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers. 2 weeks went by in a blur and I didn’t even think about my blogs nor did I have access to a computer. Everything was a total mess down there and very stressful, I will post about the horrible experience we had at the hospital later this week, but the results show that he has stage 4 single cell cancer and if he is aggressive with the chemo and radiation he could have up to 2 years with his new baby boy, Ethan.

Unfortunately Ethan’s birth was over shadowed by the death sentence that they have given to my son. It’s been very difficult for me to come to terms with this news, but I have finally placed my son in God’s hands and I now know that what ever happens it will be his will along with the faith we all have in miracles and I will accept the outcome. He is going to the James Brown Cancer Institute in Louisville on Monday for a second opinion because he lost all trust in The Medical Center in Brownsville.

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