Hello, friends.
I appreciate yesterday’s comments and donations. It is a good start to building a community focused on Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers. Let’s keep it up!
I went for a mile-and-a-half walk this morning. The temperature is in the low 70s with bright sunshine. I decided to take a few photos of random things along my walk. “Random” or “silly” best describes the photos.
Photo descriptions:
Top row left to right: a crepe myrtle tree, our apartment building, and a neighbor who must love vintage VW buses
Middle row left to right: me enjoying the sunshine, a large moving truck, and the moving truck tractor with a massive sleeper (I assume the driver and maybe a partner or spouse live in the truck)
Bottom row left to right: a church with interesting shade patterns, the biscuit maker at Biscuitville, and trash and recycling dumpsters (are people so lazy they can’t put their trash in the dumpster?)
I am experiencing moments of confusion or brain fog. This started a month ago, and it seems to be getting more frequent. These episodes are closely tied to lapses in memory. For example, I may forget where I am. This is going to sound odd: I can be standing in front of a store and not know where I am. I have the Life360 app on my phone so Linda knows where I am at all times. If I am late returning from a walk or an errand, Linda will text me to make sure all is well. I envision a day when she has to call the police to check on me because I forget to respond to her text. At least my location will always be known.
I have previously written about sundowning. “Sundowning syndrome” refers to the mental and emotional decline cognitively impaired people experience in the late afternoon and early evening. This phenomenon is well known, but it is not entirely understood. I experience sundowning about three or four days every week.
My sundowning is expressed in heightened anxiety, extreme irritability, and sadness. Linda and I are learning how to manage my sundowning episodes.
Sundowning can be severe. Some people become so agitated that they become violent. There are medications to help control these episodes.
On Tuesday afternoon, I went to a First Citizens Bank to withdraw money. To make a long story short, a teller refused to complete the transaction because my South Carolina driver’s license has a horizontal crack (making it difficult to read), my photo on the bank records doesn’t match my current appearance, and my signature on the withdrawal slip didn’t match the signature on file. I requested a manager to assist with the transaction. I immediately told the manager that I have Alzheimer’s disease, which causes my hands to tremble. That is why my signature doesn’t match. I gave the manager my business card and asked her to look at my website to verify my identity. Instead, she said if my signature doesn’t match their records, the transaction could not be performed. She gave me a piece of paper and asked me to sign my name again. I was humiliated. My hands were visibly shaking. The second signature did not match. As a last attempt to verify that I was, in fact, Greg Rowland, the teller called the phone number on file. When my cell phone rang, they agreed to complete the transaction.
I was experiencing sundowning during the bank transaction. I remained as calm as possible, yet the situation was upsetting. Linda and I decided that she needs to be with me when I go to a bank or any place where a serious transaction takes place.
If you or your loved one is experiencing sundowning, please share how you manage it.
I hope you enjoyed reading this update on my Alzheimer’s journey. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I also have an early Alzheimer's diagnosis. I think I’m a little behind you in my disease progression but I identify with your experiences. Some of them have just begun to happen to me. Others of your experiences, help me anticipate what's likely to come.
By the way, have you signed a new signature card at the bank and maybe had them add a note about your condition? If you ever need to take care of some banking business when Linda’s not available, that might make things go a little smoother. Keep up the good fight and keep sharing your journey.
Linda