THURSDAY THIRTEEN
In Writing Your Alzheimer’s Thoughts, I talked about times when I found it difficult to write about crises in my life, even though I’m a writer by profession.  However, I did mention, “Writing and sharing your experiences often helps others to cope and realize they’re not alone.” 
So when I was over the emotion and challenges of that occasion I wrote newspaper and magazine articles, a book, and now blogs to share and to encourage others.  Many caregivers do this and maintain blogs where they share.
Here are 13 I’ve discovered:

Alzheimer’s Team by Krista
Alzheimer’s Speaks by Lori
Alzheimer Cafe (in French)
SandwichINK by Kaye (for the …read more

After I wrote last week’s Thursday Thirteen  about 13 Birds Creating Memories in my mother’s life, Krista at Alzheimer’s Team, left me a comment, “My dad remembers he had horses but he can’t go in to detail about it. Maybe if we talked with him more about it he might remember more.”
Yes, often if you talk with your Alzheimer’s family member about places, persons, things and events, they will remember more. These may be bits and pieces of memories that you’ll enjoy jotting down or recording for family history, too.  Sometimes they will be lengthy stories.  You also may find …read more

Favorite Posts
Periodically b5 bloggers post their favorite posts of the week.  I write three blogs at b5media, Alzheimer’s Notes, Quilting and Patchwork, and One Book Two Book.  (The latter I co-blog with Marcie Pickelsimer.)
Sometimes it’s difficult to choose your very favorite for the week.  However, here are the three for this week:
http://www.quiltingandpatchwork.com/…ilt-mysteries/
http://www.onebooktwobook.com/mary-e…storm-of-2008/
http://www.blisstree.com/not-h…-nursing-home/

Super Shopping
To aid you in preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, we at the b5 Lifestyles and Health/Wellness channels have compiled shopping lists and suggestions.  The lists also are usable beyond these two shopping days.  You can get ideas here for your gift giving.
I have lists (in the Pages sections of my blogs) posted at:  One Book Two Book, Quilting and Patchwork, and Alzheimer’s Notes. 
One Book Two Book:
2008 Holiday Gift Guide (Mary Emma)
Quilting & Patchwork:
2008 Holiday Gift Guide for Quilters & Fabric Artists
Alzheimer’s Notes:
Holiday Shopping for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
Did you find one list more helpful than another?  If so, which one?
Enjoy!
(Christmas Central image)

Alzheimer’s News
In order to bring current news about Alzheimer’s, dementia, and caregiving, I’ve been finding various web sites and resources for you to put onto your list that you can refer to frequently.  I’ll also develop a page of resources in my “About” section here at Alzheimer’s Notes.
Recently I mentioned Alzheimer’s Daily News in a blog post.
I discovered that the Alzheimer’s Association also has a very informative In the News page on their site.
Today’s topics are:  C.A.R.E. Pharmacy Award Winner Announced, Gardening reduces stress for busy caregivers, Alzheimer’s Association launches interactive Caregivers Stress Check.

Alzheimer’s from Someone Who Is  There

I was aware of Richard Taylor’s book, Alzheimer’s from the Inside Out, but I didn’t realize he had a blog, Richard Taylor, PhD.  Carol Bradley Bursack, of Minding Our Elders, called my attention to it.
So if you want to keep up with Richard’s postings about living with Alzheimer’s, you’ll want to subscribe to his blog, as I have.  I found, when my mom had Alzheimer’s, that learning all I could about the illness enabled me to understand, and hopefully help, her and my aunt better.  Living in the Labyrinth was the book available at that time by …read more

Obsessive Caregiving
Caregiving can become almost overwhelming, but caregivers also can make it more overwhelming than it needs to be.  Yes, a patient needs a certain amount of care and love, and with Alzheimer’s a lot of care and love.  But you and they can be overwhelmed with too much.
Obsessive caregivers might:

 Use caregiving to avoid facing other situations in their lives and work.
 Become caught up in caregiving because they can’t say, “No.”
Become too caring because it feeds their ego and results in many compliments from others.
Be consumed by guilt (created by the patient and other family members) so become obsessive in their …read more

AlzheimersNotes.com
At the Health and Wellness Channel, several bloggers are posting in recognition of National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month.  Healthbolt hosted the event and Liz Lewis posted a round-up of the 12-steps that the bloggers mentioned on their blogs.
Each blogger referred to a different step of the AA’s 12-step recovery program and tied it in with their blog.  Although I didn’t write about a specific step, I discussed the connection between Alzheimer’s and possible drug addiction.
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

AlzheimersNotes.com
I discovered Fighting Monsters, Life and Thoughts of a British Social Worker, and found a super list of Alzheimer’s resources in the post, Lest We Forget.  In the course of writing about World Alzheimer’s Day, the blogger lists numerous resources about this disease.
You may want to bookmark this blog so you have this list at your fingertips, or jot it down, so you can go back to it for the resources.
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

AlzheimersNotes.com
Health and Wellness Channel’s theme this month centers around “Independence” and is hosted by Kendra James at A Healthy Life. 
The various bloggers have adapted this theme to their particular topic for some very interesting ideas and reading.
Alzheimer’s Notes participated with the post, Giving Up Their Independence – Discouraging for Alzheimer’s Patients. 
Losing their independence becomes one of the challenging aspects of this disease that Alzheimer’s patients and their families have to face. I discusses this topic and invite our readers to “chime in.”