Bob and Debbie Conroy - Enjoying the Journey Together!

It has been over six weeks since Debbie moved into the memory care section at Wesley’s Edgewater campus in West Des Moines. I am happy to report that the move and transition were better than we hoped for as she was immediately calmer and happier in this more structured environment. She has a nice room; it is quite large, and we call it her apartment. The facilities and the staff at Edgewater are fantastic. Debbie continues to decline cognitively, a little bit each day. She cannot read, follow conversations, or express more than her basic thoughts and needs. When asked a question she freezes up as she senses that it is a question, perhaps from the rising inflection at the end of the question. We try not to ask her questions, but it is hard not to because it is polite to ask people what they might need and give them choices. Very little new information makes it into Debbie’s long-term memory. When her sister Ronna visits in the morning and then I visit later in the day, Debbie has no mem...

My grandson, Jackson, is a good person. That may be my highest compliment besides respecting those that are lifelong learners.  Jackson was given the promise of a full ride scholarship to any University of Nebraska location when he was in 8th grade. He would forfeit the scholarship if his grades sagged or if he got into any trouble. I became concerned when he acquired a steady girlfriend, Cassidy, in 10th grade.  Girlfriends, good grades and staying out of trouble are often mutually exclusive. Over the years that they dated I got to know Cassidy and was impressed with her kindness and character. They continued to date through high school and entered University of Nebraska at Kearney together. Four years later they both graduated and then landed great jobs in Kearney.  Jackson and Cassidy married and my heart is full of joy for them. They deserve each other and they are a blessing to their families and many friends. 

  We stopped at the SAC Air and Space Museum near Omaha on the way home from Cassidy and Jackson's wedding. An early version of Tesla's Cyber Plane is on display. Okay, it actually is a F-117 Nighthawk undergoing restoration.

I want to let you know that Debbie is entering the later stages of her illness as those around her can notice daily declines. Debbie’s needs have progressed to the point where she was moved into long-term memory at Wesley Life Edgewater in West Des Moines last week. This has been a tough decision, and I am a mix of sadness because I miss her being at our home but relieved knowing that she’ll be getting the care she needs. Edgewater is well-equipped to manage her symptoms and provide her with the best possible quality of life. She is already responding favorably to her new surroundings. Soon I will post how to visit or where to send her cards and photos.

  It's not the size of the fish that matters but rather the quality of the time.

  This was likely Debbie’s last Christmas where she will know it was Christmas, so we maintained our traditions. She had some good moments but was stressful for her, nonetheless. She would see the Christmas tree and the packages under the tree and then get anxious about the need to buy presents. I would reassure her that it was done, and she would relax. But the information would not make it into her long-term memory. A few minutes later she would panic and ask again. This is pretty much how every day is for her now, a lot of anxiety and a little slippage every day. Our goal is to maintain a daily routine as that is calming for her. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we continue the long goodbye.

I had an amazing day at Walmart today! The first was finding a parking space up front on a weekend. Next, I grabbed a cart and was shocked. It was the Unicorn Cart, that mythical cart that tracks straight without a wheel that wobbles like it is on a bender or with a wheel pulling the cart back to China. I only needed to buy eggs, bananas, and milk, but since the cart was so perfect, I continued to shop until it was full. Heading to the register for self-checkout, an employee caught my attention and said,” Register five is open, no waiting.” So, an employee rang up my groceries, and they were fast. It was just a wonderful experience. Debbie and I get our prescriptions filled at Walmart and I'm thinking of changing to a new store so I never have to go back. Then I can always cherish the memory of a wonderful day at Walmart.