Hi (An Introduction)

Welcome to Chordie Bill.  Sorry to hear what is going on there, but keep your spirits positive with a good daily dose of music.  If it works on headaches it's prob good for everything else.  When it's not going too well, let the folks here know and you're sure to hear from a lot of good people.
Steve

Howdy bill. Welcome to the forum. Loads of great people on here, sure you'll like it.

All the best,

Mark

Hi Bill and welcome to Chordie sorry to hear of your bad luck but keep on pickin and ask away we like to help each other

Thanks to all of you, for that very nice welcome.

I wanted to relate an incident I had a couple of months ago, during which I forgot how to tune my guitar to each string (forgot what's that's called). So I get the "E" sounding right, and I go across the frets, but suddenly I forget which string is "different". That is I knew I was supposed to strike a string above the frets I used prior to getting "there", but it just completely "left" me which string was different.

I have since solved that problem by realizing that one of my amps has its own tuner onboard!

Just wanted to point that out in case I come up with something "off the wall", and so that you all will know to "consider the source"!

Thanks

Bill

Hey!

How's everything in NZ (one of my favorite future-places to visit since LOTR)?

Do you mind if people refer to you as "Kiwi"?

Thanks

Bill

Ark, I did a piece on Sir Terry on my blog. It's actually a video where he talks about his AD. MY way of coping is with the blog. I don't hold anything in, and I stay on top of the latest developments in research.

It's gratifying to have a place to come to - to share music and chat.

Thanks

Bill

Sorry to hear about your ilness, but I can't think of anything better to keep you going than the guitar.  Good luck and stick around here.  We'll help all we can, bud.

Y'all just be patient with me, okay?

And if there's ever anyone who thinks I'm a troll, please tell them differently?

You won't believe the amount of abuse I have taken on other boards (not musical), and when I explain, it just makes people feel bad, and I don't want that to happen either.

Folks have a pre-conceived notion about AD, but not all of us are incontinent right from the start. We DO still have a lot of cognitive function, and we want to hang on to it as long as we can.

That's why my guitar helps so much.

I know what I'm supposed to sing, in what key. to each chord, and I hope I can hang on to that for as long as I can.

www.alz.org, if you have someone who needs help.

Thank You All SO MUCH!

Bill

Hello!

Been a while, huh?

Since I last posted, much has happened - much of it with the dementia which, unfortunately has gotten worse.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful support group which includes my wife, son and my brother, as well as the in-laws.

The holidays didn't go too well for me and I kept a low profile.

On Thanksgiving, I did go to a family get-together and played my guitar and sang Christmas Carols with the children, but I asked to be taken home because after I had put my guitar in her case, I wanted to go out to the porch and sit and talk with the "guys", but bumped my head right into one of those glass "storm doors". To make matters worse, when I DID get the door open and stepped through, I missed a small ledge and stumbled like a drunk onto the porch.

Since I "clown around" with the kids a lot, I recovered, went "Ta-Daaaaa!", but soon thereafter asked my wife to take me home.

The short-term memory is getting worse and unless I'm talking music, drumming, guitar-playing or cycling, I REALLLY have to concentrate on what I want to say/write.

Haven't actually attempted it, but scared my wife enough when I asked if it wouldn't be better if I weren't around, that she asked me to admit myself to a pyschiatric hospital in Atlanta and that's where I spent 4 days.

It was actually okay, because I had been forgetting to take my meds and so was really off-kilter with the depression-management. The dementia meds I take don't actually REVERSE the disease, they just try to keep it from getting worse.

So we got all that regulated and I also made some good friends - two of whom played guitar!
I DO pick up the Jasmine now and then, but it's really an effort sometimes, though I DO miss it.

So......

Just checking in to let y'all know I'm (mostly) still around, though as The Beatles say on The White Album, "I'm a little older and a little slower"!

So did YOU think YOUR holidays sucked?????;)

Did I just make you feel a LITTLE better about that????

As I said before, I like knowing this site is here (even though I do forget sometimes), and I feel a very strong bond with my fellow musicians here on Chordie.

Wishing all the best to you in 2010.

Thanks,

Bill (siggi56)

Bill!  Although I've been a regular poster here for a few months, you actually found this site before me.  So... I won't say welcome to the site, but rather welcome back!  Truly, this is an awesome bunch of people.  You know what?  Even if you come here just to tell us a little story that doesn't relate too much to guitar, we'll be here for you.  This place is like family, and I've never met a better group of "strangers"!!    I've thought over the years of what types of ailments, medical issues could be "the worst" ... and on the top of that list is blindness... although I wonder if dealing with what you are would actually be worse.  I imagine depression must be a very big issue.  I've seen my grandfather go thru some serious bouts of depression (even attempting suicide at 70 years old) as he began to realize that he just couldn't take care of himself and my grandma (she was a very heavy woman with severe arthritis that just could NOT do much... and in the end, liver failure caused severe dementia fast and hard... God rest her soul now).  I'm glad to hear that you allow your family to help you and that you are trying to take one day at a time.  Depending on others is difficult as we as people are stubborn and would rather take care of those we love than to be taken care of.  We'll keep you in mind often and when ever you come back to visit us here.  If you click on your user name, and then to the bottom on "show all posts" you can go back thru any conversations you've had here on the site if that helps you at all.  May your good days be the absolute best... keep on listening to the music you love and singing ... and when you can ... play the day away!  ((HUGS))

Hi Bill,

I'm sure others like me have been wondering how you were doing.I'm glad your back posting and that you have your meds back on track. I think having the ability to sing and play is good therapy, try to do as much as that as posibble and keep posting to let us know how your doing.

Cam

Welcome Back Bill
Good to hear from you and looking forwards to hearing more from you.
You have the whole world listening right here if you have a story to tell.

Kudos to you for being up front.

Kenny