A Sunday In July

The Old Guy, proud owner of two new knees and enjoying the effects of Aricept^®, was ready to try paddling so we decided to go on the weekend. However, before I tell you about our adventure, or misadventure depending on your point of view, I need tell you about Aricept^®.

Aricept^® is a brand name for Donepezil, a medication that treats the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease like memory loss and confusion. This medication works by improving your attention, memory and ability to engage in your daily activities.

(Source: clevelandclinic.org)

However, I need to clarify that it is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Not everyone improves with the usage of Aricept^® but The Old Guy sure has. He has been on a starter dose of the drug for about ten weeks and the difference is like night and day. He is more focused and engaged, he is taking initiative and doing more around the house and yard, and he doesn’t appear to get as overwhelmed with things. He is smiling a lot more and is a whole lot less sensitive. All and all, it has been amazing. We don’t know how long it will last, but we are going to enjoy whatever time it offers.

Strangely, we did not learn about Aricept^®from our doctor but from a family member. Thank you, thank you, thank you Teade for telling me about this medication. I hope we get to benefit from it as long as your mom and Steven did. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you sharing this with me and know that I think of you every day.

So my point in sharing this here is to tell you that if you know someone in the early stages of Alzheimer’s or dementia, check into Aricept^®. It is not a new medication but it can be effective.

We finally got around to our paddle on Sunday afternoon. The Old Guy was going to go out in his canoe because it is easier to get in and out of than a low kayak. I was going in my kayak because I find the canoe seats just too uncomfortable and very hard on my back. Getting The Old Guy into the canoe wasn’t too bad. He was able to step in on his own. Once in, I pushed him off shore before getting into my kayak.

Thinking he was once again the outdoorsman of his youth (maybe Aricept^® related I can’t say), The Old Guy headed directly across the middle of the lake. The lake can be deceiving. It may have looked calm from our shore, and it may not have had any white caps; but by noon on most days, there is a bit of a wind blowing up the center that can sometimes be challenging. I like to paddle around the edges and then head home across the lake at a preferred wind angle that helps my final lag of the journey.

It was a bit of a struggle for him to paddle across, hampered by a muscle cramp in his groin area. Well it’s not like you can jump out of the canoe and walk it off so he decided to just head back across the lake to home. At this point, he, not wanting to admit that maybe he needed some help, said he was fine so I decided to take a solo kayak along the shore. A journey that was very, very short lived because I turned around to check on him and saw him drifting in the wind, which had increased in velocity. He was getting nowhere fast.

We went ashore on a small rocky beach and got The Old Guy out of the canoe to stretch a bit. Nothing worked. He was hurting so we needed to get home. Luckily, there was rope attached to the front of the canoe. We tied it to the back of my kayak and I started to paddle home. Not fun. for every stroke forward the canoe yanked me backwards. It not only yanked but would then pull me off course while coming along side of me instead of staying directly behind my kayak. It was as if I was going one stroke forward for every three yanks backwards. I could feel the tension in my neck and shoulders and honestly didn’t know if I could do it. I was always a wimp in my youth and couldn’t be sure I had built enough muscles with all the physical activity I now partake in since retirement. I knew I had more muscles–I see them, but would they actually allow me to pull a very heavy cedar canoe with a 160 pound man on board. I was having doubts.

As we all know, I am stubborn, and we needed to get across the lake by the shortest route necessary. I kept paddling taking a break every now and then to give my shoulders some rest. When we were almost home, arriving to where the lake was calm in the cove by our house, The Old Guy untied the rope and paddled on his own, while I enjoyed a few strokes that allowed me to arrive on our beach free of interference.

It might be a while before The Old Guy ventures out on the lake again. Next time we may try getting him in and out of the kayak. We will give it some thought. In the mean time it was an adventure that gave us a good story and a good laugh thanks to the effects of Aricept^®.

Thank you for reading

Photos: Jenn Stone