As you may know if you've read much of this blog, or been to my Health News website, I have a strong interest in alternative health. This was born out of my own lifetime struggle with what after 20 years was finally diagnosed as chronic systemic candida, contracted on board ship in the course of a double epidemic of dysentery and asian flu. A legacy of antibiotics.
When I discovered the Reverse Gangrene site, I felt I had found another part to the huge puzzle that is the story of human health. It seemed to me that a product with the capacity to improve circulation to the extent of reversing necrosis in the extremities of the feet just MIGHT also hold a key to helping those with Alzheimers disease. I certainly felt that improving blood circulation and the level of nutrition throughout the body had possibilites for improving brain function.
I was also fascinated by the dietary recommendations on this website, written to help people give their recovery the best chance possible. When one thinks of compromised circulation, what naturally comes to mind as the main culprit is dietary fats. I was initially amazed to find that in the dietary recommendations for combating gangrene, SUGAR was at the top of the list of no-nos - not just sugar in the sense of pure white and deadly, but all types of sugar, plus carbohydrates.
Then I had a lightbulb moment regarding diabetes and the circulatory problems that diabetics are prone to. I recalled working during my university holidays at one of the rest-homes for the NZ Foundation for the Blind (Kath was responsible for this large organisation's payroll at the time), and I remembered how many of our ladies there had diabetes and how the diabetics had to have their feet watched constantly for gangrene. Sugar in the blood ...
I would very much have liked to try out the Reverse Gangrene product on Kath - not only of course in the hope of reversing her gangrene, but also to see if it would have helped her brain function. But it was not to be, and ALL I CAN DO NOW is pass on this information to others who might be able to make use of it. Again, the website is HERE - and I have absolutely nothing to gain by referring you to it.
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alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, dying, die, christian, gangrene
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Comes the Night
I came back home in the middle of the afternoon to feed my stock. The hospital rang in the early evening to ask if I'd go over to Kerikeri 20 miles away the following morning to pick up a prescription for one of the drugs they were running short of. I'd have to go back to the hospital first thing to pick up the script, so I decided not to go there that night. Kath was still unconscious, and we agreed they would ring me if there was any change.
I spent the late evening on the net, and had just closed my computer down at midnight when the phone rang. It was the nurse on duty. "Your mom has just passed away," she said. "She passed away on the stroke of midnight. I heard her cry out and I went in there. Gradually her breathing slowed down and finally it stopped. I looked at the clock and it was exactly midnight." She was amazed at the precision of timing, and repeated it to me several times.
The nurse said they were going to ring the funeral director to come in the morning and they would get her body prepared.
I knew Kath needed some better clothes - she had been in a hospital nightie earlier that day - so I said, "I'll be there shortly with a change of clothes for her."
I found a lovely pink nightie with frills that I didn't know we had and a nice pair of panties, loaded my dogs into the vehicle and set off down my long drive through the trees.
I rarely drive at night, purely because I have to drive alone, but I felt completely protected as I locked my gates and drove out onto the state highway to do what I had to do.
The night was quiet and so peaceful, just as the morning had been after my father's death over 20 years before. I don't think I saw another vehicle on the road, going or coming back, which was unusual, and I felt strongly the presence of power and protection all around me.
Kath looked the same as she had done earlier in the day, but now the struggle was over. I stroked her cheek, gave her all my love and blessings, and left her in the nurses' care, and - I hoped - God's.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, dying, die, christian, gangrene
I spent the late evening on the net, and had just closed my computer down at midnight when the phone rang. It was the nurse on duty. "Your mom has just passed away," she said. "She passed away on the stroke of midnight. I heard her cry out and I went in there. Gradually her breathing slowed down and finally it stopped. I looked at the clock and it was exactly midnight." She was amazed at the precision of timing, and repeated it to me several times.
The nurse said they were going to ring the funeral director to come in the morning and they would get her body prepared.
I knew Kath needed some better clothes - she had been in a hospital nightie earlier that day - so I said, "I'll be there shortly with a change of clothes for her."
I found a lovely pink nightie with frills that I didn't know we had and a nice pair of panties, loaded my dogs into the vehicle and set off down my long drive through the trees.I rarely drive at night, purely because I have to drive alone, but I felt completely protected as I locked my gates and drove out onto the state highway to do what I had to do.
The night was quiet and so peaceful, just as the morning had been after my father's death over 20 years before. I don't think I saw another vehicle on the road, going or coming back, which was unusual, and I felt strongly the presence of power and protection all around me.
Kath looked the same as she had done earlier in the day, but now the struggle was over. I stroked her cheek, gave her all my love and blessings, and left her in the nurses' care, and - I hoped - God's.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, dying, die, christian, gangrene
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Friday 23 February 2007
When I got to the hospital on Friday morning they had moved her back into the intensive care ward. It was bright and sunny - much nicer than the room she had been in for most of the week. For the first time since she was admitted, her body was completely at peace. She lay unconscious on her back with her mouth open and her eyes closed, and a brightly-colored soft toy ladybird clutched in one hand.
They had moved the morphine shunt round to her back because she kept pulling it out of her arm, and I could hear from time to time the now familiar "zzzt" as it delivered a measured dose of the drug into her body.
There was a CD player by the bed with some relaxing music playing. I went back to the car and brought out some Christian CDs. The one I chose was "Simply Worship II" by Hillsongs Australia, which has some very beautiful tracks. And I sat down by the bed, put my hand on hers and prayed to God to take her - as I had done several times over the past few days.
Pastor Lynley arrived at 1pm. She came up to the head of the bed and took hold of my mother's other hand. Bending down with her face very close to Kath's she began a wonderful whispered 'conversation' with her. She reminded Kath that soon she would be with the Lord and she would then have a perfect, beautiful, spiritual body, like the body she had as a young woman. She talked about the beauty of heaven and the joy of leaving this earth for a new existence that has no end. And I watched in fascination as her love and care reached out to touch my mother's soul. I thought of the deathbed stories I'd read and seen, and hoped Kath's soul WAS listening, somewhere nearby.
Then Lynley asked me, "Have you told her she can go?" Surprised, I said "No." I had been so busy asking God to take her, that I hadn't thought of that.
"Tell her she can go," Lynley said.
I put my hand on Kath's arm. "Lovey, you can go!" It was a painful moment.
Lynley took out her anointing oil and finished her task. We had a few moments together and then she went, having travelled nearly an hour to get there. I shall be forever grateful for the very special, personal way she ministered to my mom that day - and I shall never forget it.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, dying, die, christian, gangrene
They had moved the morphine shunt round to her back because she kept pulling it out of her arm, and I could hear from time to time the now familiar "zzzt" as it delivered a measured dose of the drug into her body.
There was a CD player by the bed with some relaxing music playing. I went back to the car and brought out some Christian CDs. The one I chose was "Simply Worship II" by Hillsongs Australia, which has some very beautiful tracks. And I sat down by the bed, put my hand on hers and prayed to God to take her - as I had done several times over the past few days.
Pastor Lynley arrived at 1pm. She came up to the head of the bed and took hold of my mother's other hand. Bending down with her face very close to Kath's she began a wonderful whispered 'conversation' with her. She reminded Kath that soon she would be with the Lord and she would then have a perfect, beautiful, spiritual body, like the body she had as a young woman. She talked about the beauty of heaven and the joy of leaving this earth for a new existence that has no end. And I watched in fascination as her love and care reached out to touch my mother's soul. I thought of the deathbed stories I'd read and seen, and hoped Kath's soul WAS listening, somewhere nearby.
Then Lynley asked me, "Have you told her she can go?" Surprised, I said "No." I had been so busy asking God to take her, that I hadn't thought of that.
"Tell her she can go," Lynley said.
I put my hand on Kath's arm. "Lovey, you can go!" It was a painful moment.
Lynley took out her anointing oil and finished her task. We had a few moments together and then she went, having travelled nearly an hour to get there. I shall be forever grateful for the very special, personal way she ministered to my mom that day - and I shall never forget it.
- - -
Technorati Tags:
alzheimers, alzheimers care, dementia, caregiver, alzheimers disease, death, dying, die, christian, gangrene
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