Milwaukee Elderly Greasy Spoon Mafioso - Freeze-Frame Radio

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

Milwaukee Elderly Greasy Spoon Mafioso

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

Just start telling him different jobs everytime he asks, see if he laughs or does just like always

Ruby · The Good Witch Of The South

Alzheimers?

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

alley that is a good suggestion. I will go from CEO to bum in a matter of one conversation. that will be interesting! thank you!

Ruby- no way I think he has alzheimers. I mean besides this. Dressed to the nines, coherent other-wise, really a model of how any man would want to be at 80-something. I really think he's messin with me. I am going to do what alley suggested and see if he is messin with me.

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

That should be at least funny no matter the response, maybe he just doesn't understand the job title??

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

I'm thinkin he is like a goldfish. 15 second memory...

which, by the way is kinda sad for goldfish. If a goldfish dies in 15 seconds, and their memory only lasts for 15 seconds, that will be the only memory they have of life- dying.

someone told me that.

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

that was really deep

Jeremy Riggs · 2011 Super Bowl Champions!

I don't know JD, that sounds like Alzheimers to me.

My grandmother has it. She's perfectly healthy in every other way. Hard to beleive she's in her upper 70's really.

But it started with exactly that type of thing. Alzheimers usually have trouble remembering the short term, but no problem with the long term.

I took my grandma to church this sunday. She asked me three times if I got a haircut. When we were running behind getting her back home I said "Oh no, you're gonna be late for your own party" and she said "I'm having a party? I was gonna go home and take a nap". The whole family had been planning to come over for fathers day for weeks.

It's much worse now, but when it began it was just a simple thing like you just explained.

In the meantime, she can tell you the exact details of the house she grew up in and the events of her life.

I would caution you against calling him on it or playing with him, because what we've learned with my grandmother is that in a wierd way she's AWARE she's forgetful even though she forgets, and she's very easily upset when she realizes she's done it again. She usually only realizes it when someone gets upset and points it out.

Just my two cents (which in most places only fetches me about half that)

Tennessee Gal · Chairwoman Of The Board

I'm agreeing with Ruby and JR's diagnosis. My grandmother that I mentioned in Sparky's forum lived in an assisted living facility for a year or so. We had to be careful not to wear anything flashy, especially jewelry, or she'd comment on it at least five or six times. The EXACT COMMENT. Every couple of minutes. Anytime, there'd be a lull in the conversation she'd say the same thing. "Is that new, it sure is pretty."

My favorite would be when we would be driving and in traffic. She'd say,"My, look at that traffic, I guess the ball game must have just let out". She and my grandfather were avid highschool and local college sports attendees. She always associated heavy traffic with people leaving the stadiums.

But.... she could tell you all the names of all the kids she taught for 50 years as well as know all the verses of every nursery rhyme that was ever published right up to her .

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

holy crap. thanks guys for your input here. This must be what is happening.

Jeremy Riggs · 2011 Super Bowl Champions!

T-Gal,

We had my grandmother and her youngest son over for Christmas dinner at my house this year. That was the first time I realized how bad the alzheimers had gotten.

We fnished eating and sat around the table talking. My dog did something, i don't remember what, but we started talking about how smart dogs are. The conversation only lasted about 15 minutes, but everytime there was a lull my grandmother would say "We think they're just dumb animals, but they're a lot smarter than we realize". In only that fifteen minute span she must have said that EXACT phrase five times.

It made me so sad.

And we all try to act like there's nothing unusual about it, acknowledging her everytime.

My grandma took a cupfull of vitamins every day her entire life and it has shown in her health. She's not hunched over at all, in great shape, barely any wrinkles, could easily pass for upper 50's instead of upper 70's. But this one thing is slowly taking her from us.

On one hand I think it's such a sad end to a great life. On the other hand I wonder if in your final days being oblivious to the fact it's your final days might not be a great gift.

But with her physical health, I fear she will have many years ahead of her that are not very good mentally.

Molly · The Mediator

With as absent minded as I am now, I'm afraid that may be me someday.

Sparky · Phat Cat EL Presidente

JD, how about something simple like "I make books over by da Stadium".

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

I like that sparky. maybe repitition would help. Its not a big deal, I still like to see Fred is still around. I just have a thing about repeating myself- I think I hate doing it because of work.

Jeremy Riggs · 2011 Super Bowl Champions!

I'm sorry JD what did you say? Can you repeat that?

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

....especially on sunday nights.....

Molly · The Mediator

JD The Jazz Doctor wrote:

...I think I hate doing it because of work.

Where do you work again?

Sparky · Phat Cat EL Presidente

Maybe you should say something simple like "I make books over by da stadium".

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

Molly wrote:

Where do you work again?

Ask Fred.

Molly · The Mediator

Who's Fred?

Jeremy Riggs · 2011 Super Bowl Champions!

Freds that guy JD sold some nuts too.

You gotta pay attention Molly.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

JD The Jazz Doctor wrote:

So this has been going on the past 3 years....there is a place in town I go for a greasy spoon breakfast or a cheap lunch. I have been going there for 20 yrs....but in the last 3 yrs this little old guy, dressed to the 9's, looking like Robert Dinero at age 85, is usually in this place whenever I go. I went today on my way back to work from my morning meeting. His name is Fred. Fred is ok. We chat, pick on the waitresses, and asks me how business is going. Repeatedly. "So where do you work again?" I explain that we help develop, edit, and produce technical manuals for major world-wide industries. We talk a bit more, eat "So, where do you work again?" I name the company, tell him where its located, where its near. The next question "how is business, where do you work?" I know fred is not stupid. He is very alive, alert, happy to be here, looks healthy. He is known to the waitresses as a bit of a practical joker. The third time he asked this today I said "I WORK BY THE STADIUM OVER THERE HEY???" "Oh....oh oh....ok". I haven't the guts to ask him if he is just messin with me asking this question over and over and over again for 3 yrs. OR perhaps he is getting senile, or deaf, or in one ear and out the other? Even when he is done askin me, I get the same story, which I don't mind hearing. "I sold nuts and bolts. I made a ton of money because the milwaukee bus company was a contract of mine. The way I pulled that off for 40 yrs is that I would kick back 15% to the guy who bought. That is America, that is a business partnership. That is the way things work. I'd take the order each Tuesday, by Tuesday night I was up at my cottage phoning it in to the office". I like Fred. But next time he asks me what I do twice, I am going to tell him "did we not just go over that 2 minutes ago?" I means no disrespect, but I sure hope Fred is not packing heat. <--Fred 25 yrs ago

copy and paste is a wonderful invention!

did you see the memo?

please advise.

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

Maybe you could send him a memo.

I have a customer that is pretty advanced in the disease and his wife said it's harder for them in the early stages because they are aware of it, after it gets so far they aren't aware anymore and live life for every moment. I always felt sorry for them, but if you don't know it you aren't hurt by it, as a loved one its sad for you not to have the same "person" you remember from your whole life. He is a really neat person now, I didn't know him before, but he always has a good story and is extremely happy all the time. He's like a kid in a way, not a care in the world.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

I sure hope this isn't the case with Fred. I hope he's just bad at small talk.

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

chances are if he is out by himself it's not.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

I wish not to underplay that I think he's connected to la familia, la cosa nostra, el mafioso! this guy has shoes that must cost what putting new tires on a car cost! The suits have got to be custom made! his mannurisms....

maybe they get tired of him always asking the same questions so make him take a break and go get himself coffee and pie!

allycat · Cat Scratch Diva

maybe he's is and he wants to get away so he plays senile to not be noticed

maybe he doesn't like you and he's trying to annoy you into not coming around anymore. lol poor guy you've made him lose his mind.

JD The Jazz Doctor · Grand Poobah

bah! he starts it! and he's got this special hand-shake that I've learned. Maybe I'm a made guy now!

Sparky · Phat Cat EL Presidente

Someday we will be reading about the guy that didn't have any family and left all of his money to a blonde haired guy that did something wit books by da stadium.