A Fall

Sunday, Dennis begged me to get him out of the house. I really wanted to stay home, relish in my new retired life, and just stare at the plants in the south and west corner of our condo, with the ceiling to floor windows. . But I gave in, as I usually do.

The plan was to drive to Lake Calhoun, one of the 10,000 lakes in our state, and sit on a bench and play the game of Guess. Guess is a fun game that most peepers and eaves droppers do on a daily basis - who is that stranger passing by and what are they talking about and then make up stories.

Then I remembered that my favorite boutique was having a side-walk sale. I mean really, who can pass up 75% off at their favorite store?

That's when Dennis fell. He had wanted to walk a bit, and was looking for dresses for me. He always has liked to pick out clothes for me. But he was standing still, and that is when he is most vulnerable to a fall. His back was to me and mine to his, and he just fell.

Since we were on grass, and my body broke the fall, no permanent harm was done. With the help of a passer-by, we were able to get him back in his chair, with only a few small errors, in short order. But he was shook up and so was I.

Dennis hasn't had a damaging fall in a very long time. He takes many precautions to avoid falls. When he does any walking outside the house he generally wears a helmet. Sometimes he also wears plastic padded hockey pants and hockey elbow pads. He has never had a fall when he gears up and even though the helmet was in the car, we didn't think of putting it on his head.

We did not make it to the lake. We both wanted to go home where it was safe. But, really, we should have just put the helmet on, and he never would have had that fall. I know, woulda, coulda, shoulda, but it was a lesson learned.

From now on, the helmet is a permanent fixture on his big old head. An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure.

Until later,
Ann and Dennis

Drooling Issues

Dennis started his pesky drooling last year sometime. The kind of symptom that gets in the way of some activities, but not all of the time and everyday. He is now at the frustration drooling stage and he drools through day and night, but it is being treated with the drug Robinul, or a generic, to be exact.

Now this drug has all those dreaded side effects, some of which are the very symptom he is fighting against. But of course they are, you know that as well as I know that. Truth be told, it already seems to be loosing effectiveness, anyway, and the doctor seems very reticent to increase his dose, so he most likely will not be taking it for much longer.


It's not always the drooling itself that becomes the biggest issue, it's the problems the drooling causes when Dennis eats, sleeps, talks, drinks, and does anything what-so-ever. When he sleeps he drools, so the pillow cases always have stains on them. Oh well, at least we aren't washing whole sets of sheets everyday like we did all winter. His catheter does have some benefits. Talking and being heard and understood is difficult enough for Dennis, add in the drooling and it is close to impossible to comprehend what he is saying. Even I have troubles most days and need to remind him to talk to me 1) only when we are in the same room, 2) to look at me when he talks and 3) and to swallow before speaking.

But it's the eating that is most exasperating for both of us, and I am sure it isn't all that pleasant for the other people present when he eats. Everything he eats ends up staining the drool which is still coming out of his mouth even though he is eating. After he collects enough colored drool on his face it begins dripping on his clothes. He is forever holding a towel up to his face to collect the drool.

Ah, drool. Sometimes he reminds me of one of those huge dogs that you just got to love through the drool. He is a sweetie and easy to love, drool and all. I wish it didn't bother him so much, but the man has his dignity, one thing this syndrome takes away from a person rather quickly.

Until tommorow,
Ann and Dennis