? Day of Deer Camp : )

WOW...... don't them deer look nice hanging there? As nice as they look they need to shed their hide and find there way to the freezer!

Now last year didn't go so well when it came to this part. Come to think of it, Tom had trouble with everything last year from sighting his gun, to hitting a deer, to gutting one ............."Everything."

Yesterday he spent a few hours preparing to skin out one deer. (he has learned to focus on one thing at a time and time is something we have). As he mentioned things we needed for the job, I'd gather them. We work as a team. : )

I have to say that I was impressed with the job he did. Very little hair on the deer. We brought it in the house and I took over.

He kept my knives sharp while I chopped away. I kept telling him they were sharp enough but he kept switching them out and I didn't want to tell him, some of the blood from the deer had my "DNA" : (

Tom mixed up a batch of jerky and we were packaging the rest when Tom said," bet you forgot which was the tender loins and back straps." We were having them for supper. Now I have to mess with him when he challenges me like that with a smart ass smirk on his face.

I said "oh s**t," and looked bewildered. He laughs and shakes his head and says "WOW Cindy"..........with the look of "and I'm the one with the problem?" on his face. Than I go to the fridge and pull out a roaster holding the loins and straps. He laughs and says..."Your so smart. "

It's been quiet at the " Olson Deer Camp" the last few days as far as hunting goes. A few does came through but Tom's holding out to see if he will get a chance of a nice rack. We've seen them around here in the past so it's not just wishful thinking. It could happen!
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TEAM WORK in our house means.....Tom leads on a project we are doing and I fill in the rest.

#1....It may be me gathering things for the project as he rattles things off that we need.

Because: A...he forgets what he went to get.
B...don't remember where it is.

#2....Gently redirect him when his idea just plain won't work. " Do this with caution!"

He doesn't have the ability to switch from one idea that he has already planned in his head to another that I am suggesting. If I just blurt it out......His head spins around three times, his eye balls bulge out of his head and he spews green venom all over me. And I won't repeat the words that come out of his mouth that he has learned from the book........"Speaking Alzheimer by Al Zheimer"

#3.....He has lost his concept of time. How does this play a part in a team work project? I'd love to tell you.
This one blind sided me. I knew he was to the point to where if I had to run to town and I was gone more than on hour he really thought I was gone almost all day. I was prepared for that as I've read it on blogs. Well your going to love this one.

If I need to run and get something we need for our project and don't have it there....He always has a fit on how long it took me to go get it. So I tested it. I ran as fast as I could, grabbed what was needed and ran back.....SAME COMMENT! " I can't figure out what takes you so long. Geeze! " : )

I encourage Tom to lead in projects and stick with his ideas as much as I can to give him a feeling of self worth. If he takes his time he does pretty good. Knowing he has the disease and accepting it has helped him to live with it.

He finally realizes that time is his friend and time is what he has a lot of. He also is recognizing some of the symptoms he displays as the disease and it seems to put him at ease that he's not crazy. He realizes he needs to address things in steps. Only focus on one step at a time and not look ahead to the next till he gets there.

A fun thing we do is make up words. He has a problem finding words so he just lets a word fly out of his mouth instead of struggling to find the right one...and I usually know what he means and use his words and make up some of my own....and we end up laughing at each other.............

These are some of the ways we live with Al Zheimer ...................And I thank those in our lives who understand and help us along in our journey. Could not do it with out all of you!