Roxana:
Thank you for your words and congratulations on being so busy with essentially fun stuff and activities. This has been a tough week for Tito and me, as we essentially said goodbye to my Uncle Tony (Tia Bertha's husband). The service was this past Monday at the Catholic Church in Bonita. My first job was as a dishwasher at his Casa Don Diego Restaurant when I was only 16. He was a very great guy, he knew your Tito and Tita when they were teenagers. Anyway,I just got dropped off by a tow-truck since my pickup blew it's rear tire (and the tire was relatively new). So I panicked because I never leave Tito alone for more than a few minutes, but I dropped off a friend at the border this morning (after lending him my truck) - I was in shorts, had not yet shaved or bathed it was supposed to be a quick drop off - I ended up borrowing a Border Patrol officers's cell phone to call the tow company and my aunt Elsa to check on my dad. All turned out okay, but I was soooooo desperate about my Pop being alone for that brief moment. Somehow I felt like I messed up. I should NEVER leave my dad alone. NEVER! Anyway, more to tell ya, but I will save it for that next SPECIAL day that I get to see you and Jessica.
Love,
Dad
P.S. "Tito" and "Tita" are terms of endearment for "Grandfather" and "Grandmother" ---- respectively.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
The Balancing Act
My Pop and I just got back from the Home Depot. This particular store was my father's regular hang-out; what with having been a carpenter in the past, he loved to go there and check out the new merchandise. Unfortunately, today I had my share of surprises when my Dad almost fell down twice in the store. He walks with a cane, but he is having increased difficulty in maintaining his balance. His doctor told me that this was to be expected, as a lack of depth perception is another symptom of Alzheimer's Disease, in addition to the very expected memory loss.
Outside of putting him in a wheelchair, which I would like to delay for as long as possible, I do not really know what to do.
I am curious as to what percentage of Dementia and Alzheimer's patients develop serious problems in keeping their balance, when walking from point A - to point B. I have not heard of too many complaints regarding this (balance) issue, so I am very dismayed that my father is having such a hard time (just in walking).
I took him to Denny's for a late lunch afterwards, and I had to fish out a conversation, as he sat there nibbling on his sandwich; apparently, lost in thought in a word faraway from my world. His symptoms are getting worse. Moreover, I am getting tired and anxious at the same time. I miss not having my Dad with me like in the old days. The man I have living with me is, unfortunately, a shadow of the man I knew before.
Sometimes, I ask myself if I am doing worse in taking care of him in his own home, rather than placing him in a nursing home. But, I think that action would contribute to a worsening (even more) of his condition.
Sometimes, I just do NOT have the answers. I wonder if this is normal?
Outside of putting him in a wheelchair, which I would like to delay for as long as possible, I do not really know what to do.
I am curious as to what percentage of Dementia and Alzheimer's patients develop serious problems in keeping their balance, when walking from point A - to point B. I have not heard of too many complaints regarding this (balance) issue, so I am very dismayed that my father is having such a hard time (just in walking).
I took him to Denny's for a late lunch afterwards, and I had to fish out a conversation, as he sat there nibbling on his sandwich; apparently, lost in thought in a word faraway from my world. His symptoms are getting worse. Moreover, I am getting tired and anxious at the same time. I miss not having my Dad with me like in the old days. The man I have living with me is, unfortunately, a shadow of the man I knew before.
Sometimes, I ask myself if I am doing worse in taking care of him in his own home, rather than placing him in a nursing home. But, I think that action would contribute to a worsening (even more) of his condition.
Sometimes, I just do NOT have the answers. I wonder if this is normal?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Please Go FIGURE!
Today I received an e-mail from one of my friends (who happens to be a doctor in Spain); where he highlighted some very interesting worldwide facts on the global use of medicine:
'En el mundo actual, se está invirtiendo cinco veces más en medicamentos para la virilidad masculina y silicona para mujeres, que en la cura del Alzheimer. De aquí a algunos años, tendremos viejas de tetas grandes y viejos con pene duro, pero ninguno de ellos se acordará para que sirven'.
TRANSLATION:
'In today's world, there is an investment of five times greater funding in medicines that are for erectile dysfunction and breast augmentation than in searching for the cure for Alzheimer's Disease. Therefore, in a few years we shall have older women with large sexy breasts and older guys with hard penuses and neither of them shall remember what these elements are good for...'
Go FIGURE!!!
'En el mundo actual, se está invirtiendo cinco veces más en medicamentos para la virilidad masculina y silicona para mujeres, que en la cura del Alzheimer. De aquí a algunos años, tendremos viejas de tetas grandes y viejos con pene duro, pero ninguno de ellos se acordará para que sirven'.
TRANSLATION:
'In today's world, there is an investment of five times greater funding in medicines that are for erectile dysfunction and breast augmentation than in searching for the cure for Alzheimer's Disease. Therefore, in a few years we shall have older women with large sexy breasts and older guys with hard penuses and neither of them shall remember what these elements are good for...'
Go FIGURE!!!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Such is Life
I have not written much in my blog about taking care of my Pop recently, because, well, I have been taking care of my Pop. His disease has progressed quite seriously in past few weeks, allowing me for very little time to write in my blog. Moreover, I am exhausted by the time he goes to bed.
Don't get me wrong- physically, he is doing great. His appetite is good, he looks as handsome as ever, but his problems with memory and his balance are getting noticeably worse. He has started doing things like trying to brush his teeth with shaving cream instead of toothpaste, or putting away dirty dishes with the clean ones, or getting up in the middle of the night and trying to go outside.
I have to be with him, or at least close to him, in order to avoid any potential mishaps.
His depth perception (when climbing stairs) is terrible. I guess, that, in other words, his overall abilities are now much more impacted by his dementia, by his Alzheimer's.
A fact which was confirmed by his new doctor very recently. Fortunately, this new doctor appears to be much more proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to controlling his situation. We are starting some new meds and some new exercises that will hopefully help.
I feel, like a bit overwhelmed at times; it is getting harder and harder to watch over him without becoming totally overbearing. I now have to help him with his bathing; and just a week ago, I commenced putting him in adult diapers (at nighttime) after a few "accidents" --- a fact which he has accepted better than I thought that he would have.
I should have been better prepared to deal with this overall decline in his situation, but I just thought that we were doing so well. I did NOT think that this diminishment of capacity would come so quickly.
I guess that I will continue to roll with the punches, but I do not wish this situation on anybody; it truly drains your energy in a very fickle way. Essentially, I am a prisoner without my own life to live. Yet, when I see him smile, when I see him happy and comfortable being in his own home; when he tells me that he loves me at bedtime - well as corny as it may sound, it makes all of my efforts well worthwhile. He is my father and I promise to continue taking care of him as long as I am able to do so.
Don't get me wrong- physically, he is doing great. His appetite is good, he looks as handsome as ever, but his problems with memory and his balance are getting noticeably worse. He has started doing things like trying to brush his teeth with shaving cream instead of toothpaste, or putting away dirty dishes with the clean ones, or getting up in the middle of the night and trying to go outside.
I have to be with him, or at least close to him, in order to avoid any potential mishaps.
His depth perception (when climbing stairs) is terrible. I guess, that, in other words, his overall abilities are now much more impacted by his dementia, by his Alzheimer's.
A fact which was confirmed by his new doctor very recently. Fortunately, this new doctor appears to be much more proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to controlling his situation. We are starting some new meds and some new exercises that will hopefully help.
I feel, like a bit overwhelmed at times; it is getting harder and harder to watch over him without becoming totally overbearing. I now have to help him with his bathing; and just a week ago, I commenced putting him in adult diapers (at nighttime) after a few "accidents" --- a fact which he has accepted better than I thought that he would have.
I should have been better prepared to deal with this overall decline in his situation, but I just thought that we were doing so well. I did NOT think that this diminishment of capacity would come so quickly.
I guess that I will continue to roll with the punches, but I do not wish this situation on anybody; it truly drains your energy in a very fickle way. Essentially, I am a prisoner without my own life to live. Yet, when I see him smile, when I see him happy and comfortable being in his own home; when he tells me that he loves me at bedtime - well as corny as it may sound, it makes all of my efforts well worthwhile. He is my father and I promise to continue taking care of him as long as I am able to do so.
Taking a vacation in a high crime city! No way.
By Patrick Osio
You're planning a vacation trip; you want to stay relatively close to home, no overseas travel, not this year. Maybe Mexico or in the U.S. – but it has to be affordable and with plenty to do. So you’re reading about some cities. You find one of interest, but on reading other information lo and behold you find that the chances of becoming a crime victim in that city are 1 out of 4 – a whopping 25% chance of being a crime victim. That ended that city as a destination.
You select another city, it sounds interesting, but now you also want to check up on how safe it is. Oh my gosh, you read that the chances of being a crime victim are also 1 out of 4. Scratch that one too. You go to the next city of interest, this one has great beaches, from good to excellent sea food restaurants, but before you book rooms, you check the safety. This one is better but still the chances of being a crime victim are 1 out of 5 – a 20% chance. What the heck is going on? Scratch that city.
Now you start checking other cities but begin with the safety factor first – you find that some are 1 out of 7, or 1 out of 8, or 1 out of 9, or 1 out of 10 – one out of ten people that’s 10% of people being victims of crime in that city – that is scary you think and decide maybe you and your family should stay home.
The cities checked before giving up are Chicago, Cincinnati, Miami, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Kansas City, Memphis, Dallas, Richmond, St. Louis, Little Rock, Philadelphia, Tampa, New York, Orlando, Cleveland, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Detroit – you had no idea that the chances of being a victim of crime in those cities was that high. What an eye opener.
But is it really an eye opener or are those cities "guilty by association"?
All the mentioned cities are great places with much history and plentiful things to do and enjoy. The high crime rates are true, but within certain, but not all in fact few, neighborhoods in each of those cities. The odds for being a victim of crime in those neighborhoods fall on the neighborhood residents not the tourists who visit the city and don’t travel into those affected neighborhoods.
New Orleans and Miami, as examples, were suffering from a drop of tourism due to high crime reports leading city officials in New Orleans to explain that the French Quarter where tourists congregate and spend their visiting time are very safe provided they are not involved in criminal activity. All cities mentioned are victims of generalization that the media portrayed and people believe that the entire city is not safe due to some neighborhoods having high crime rates.
Similarly, Baja California has been victimized by an unknowing, some would say insensitive, press that Tijuana, with a population nearing 2 million, covering over 400 square miles with dozens of neighborhoods, has neighborhoods with high crime rates wherein the drug cartels are entrenched, but it does not affect the entire city. Where tourism congregates is relatively free of crime, and other than petty thefts, most other crimes against tourists are negligible in proportion to the number of visitors.
The press reports high profile gang wars, and law enforcement shoot out encounters with drug cartel members as though it is the entire city by not identifying affected neighborhoods or even the size of the city where these confrontations take place. Like the French Quarter of New Orleans the Tijuana sections wherein visitors congregate are as safe as the French Quarter.
It is unfair to generalize about the entire city of New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas and all the others due to high crime in some of their neighborhoods, it is also unfair to generalize about Tijuana.
It is an even greater injustice that in generalizing about Tijuana the nearby municipalities of Rosarito Beach, covering close to 200 square miles, and Ensenada, a giant at over 20,000 square miles of territory, are drawn into the same generalization as Tijuana because travelers are under the impression that to reach them they have to cross Tijuana – not true, but the US press has never corrected the perception. Going to Ensenada from the US-Mexico border one takes a highway that skirts around Tijuana to a very safe toll scenic highway to both Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. Like in Los Angeles, using a freeway that crosses Watts (350% greater homicide rate than rest of L.A.) on the way to Disneyland.
These types of generalizations hurt everybody – the potential visitor to a great city in the US or Baja California because they miss out on a great experience; the city who loses the income that is spent by tourists that create employment and better life for residents; and by workers whose livelihood depends on visitor’s expenditures.
Read more news by Patrick Osio
You're planning a vacation trip; you want to stay relatively close to home, no overseas travel, not this year. Maybe Mexico or in the U.S. – but it has to be affordable and with plenty to do. So you’re reading about some cities. You find one of interest, but on reading other information lo and behold you find that the chances of becoming a crime victim in that city are 1 out of 4 – a whopping 25% chance of being a crime victim. That ended that city as a destination.
You select another city, it sounds interesting, but now you also want to check up on how safe it is. Oh my gosh, you read that the chances of being a crime victim are also 1 out of 4. Scratch that one too. You go to the next city of interest, this one has great beaches, from good to excellent sea food restaurants, but before you book rooms, you check the safety. This one is better but still the chances of being a crime victim are 1 out of 5 – a 20% chance. What the heck is going on? Scratch that city.
Now you start checking other cities but begin with the safety factor first – you find that some are 1 out of 7, or 1 out of 8, or 1 out of 9, or 1 out of 10 – one out of ten people that’s 10% of people being victims of crime in that city – that is scary you think and decide maybe you and your family should stay home.
The cities checked before giving up are Chicago, Cincinnati, Miami, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Kansas City, Memphis, Dallas, Richmond, St. Louis, Little Rock, Philadelphia, Tampa, New York, Orlando, Cleveland, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Detroit – you had no idea that the chances of being a victim of crime in those cities was that high. What an eye opener.
But is it really an eye opener or are those cities "guilty by association"?
All the mentioned cities are great places with much history and plentiful things to do and enjoy. The high crime rates are true, but within certain, but not all in fact few, neighborhoods in each of those cities. The odds for being a victim of crime in those neighborhoods fall on the neighborhood residents not the tourists who visit the city and don’t travel into those affected neighborhoods.
New Orleans and Miami, as examples, were suffering from a drop of tourism due to high crime reports leading city officials in New Orleans to explain that the French Quarter where tourists congregate and spend their visiting time are very safe provided they are not involved in criminal activity. All cities mentioned are victims of generalization that the media portrayed and people believe that the entire city is not safe due to some neighborhoods having high crime rates.
Similarly, Baja California has been victimized by an unknowing, some would say insensitive, press that Tijuana, with a population nearing 2 million, covering over 400 square miles with dozens of neighborhoods, has neighborhoods with high crime rates wherein the drug cartels are entrenched, but it does not affect the entire city. Where tourism congregates is relatively free of crime, and other than petty thefts, most other crimes against tourists are negligible in proportion to the number of visitors.
The press reports high profile gang wars, and law enforcement shoot out encounters with drug cartel members as though it is the entire city by not identifying affected neighborhoods or even the size of the city where these confrontations take place. Like the French Quarter of New Orleans the Tijuana sections wherein visitors congregate are as safe as the French Quarter.
It is unfair to generalize about the entire city of New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas and all the others due to high crime in some of their neighborhoods, it is also unfair to generalize about Tijuana.
It is an even greater injustice that in generalizing about Tijuana the nearby municipalities of Rosarito Beach, covering close to 200 square miles, and Ensenada, a giant at over 20,000 square miles of territory, are drawn into the same generalization as Tijuana because travelers are under the impression that to reach them they have to cross Tijuana – not true, but the US press has never corrected the perception. Going to Ensenada from the US-Mexico border one takes a highway that skirts around Tijuana to a very safe toll scenic highway to both Rosarito Beach and Ensenada. Like in Los Angeles, using a freeway that crosses Watts (350% greater homicide rate than rest of L.A.) on the way to Disneyland.
These types of generalizations hurt everybody – the potential visitor to a great city in the US or Baja California because they miss out on a great experience; the city who loses the income that is spent by tourists that create employment and better life for residents; and by workers whose livelihood depends on visitor’s expenditures.
Read more news by Patrick Osio
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
MY new BUSINESS wEB sITE!
hEY GUYS: This is my new biz web site (I'm so excited). Pleeeze give me your feedback. With LUV, Ric ---- www.monkeyfingers.tv
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day Care for Dad
After a two-year wait, my dad has been accepted into a really nice Alzheimer's Day Care center in Chula Vista. We went last Friday to an orientation and he loved it! This way he will be able to socialize with people of his own age and with the same affliction. It will definitely be good for him. And for me (i will get a break at least two days a week!).
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
LEGENDARY HISPANIC DJ TO ARRIVE IN SAN DIEGO
(San Diego - March 30, 2009) Hispanic DJ Legend Procopio "El Coco" Marquez is scheduled to arrive in San Diego tomorrow morning to record some promo spots for Monkey Fingers' Studioworks. Coco, as he was affectionately known to thousands of radio listeners in central California, was a pioneer in promoting Hispanic concerts to farm workers throughout the golden state in the late fifties and sixties in Fresno, Bakersfield and many other communities throughout California.
Classic mega stars from Mexico, such as Javier Solis, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lola Beltran, Los Tres Aces, and many others, performed for the first time in the USA thanks to Coco and his partners. While today it is very common for Hispanic artists to perform in the USA, back in the late fifties it was not as common. Coco, through his radio show was able to persuade top performers from Mexico to perform in live concerts for field workers from throughout the golden state.
After successfully executing hundreds of concerts, other performers from south of the border began to explore venues in the USA. Though on dialysis three times a week, Coco is making the trip to San Diego to record some promotional spots for Monkey Fingers' Studioworks located in south San Diego county. Most recent ly, Coco has retired as a city councilman for the town of Superior, Arizona. The former mining town is a small community located a few hours from Phoenix - Arizona (http://www.superior-arizona.com/). Coco will be in town from Tuesday through Friday; beyond his recordings he will also use the time to visit with family and friends in both San Diego and Tijuana.
Monkey Fingers' Studioworks is a multi-faceted studio operation that handles video, audio, Internet, film production and commercial photography. The founding partners have over 30 years experience in international marketing and media production. They have won multiple industry awards including an Emmy.
Monkey Fingers' integrates video production with Internet site development. Besides hosting multiple sites for many different companies and organizations, Monkey Fingers' is at the forefront of developing new technologies for multiple production platforms.
WHY MONKEY FINGERS?
The reason for the name: Monkey Fingers is our love for The Beatles. The term is used in their song: Come Together. The song title essentially describes our mission statement as a firm: To come together with all sorts of enterprises and deliver optimum quality in audio, video and Internet production:
With Our Apologies to THE BEATLES:
He wear no shoeshine - he got toe-jam football
He got monkey fingers - he shoot coca-cola
He say: "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me...
Classic mega stars from Mexico, such as Javier Solis, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lola Beltran, Los Tres Aces, and many others, performed for the first time in the USA thanks to Coco and his partners. While today it is very common for Hispanic artists to perform in the USA, back in the late fifties it was not as common. Coco, through his radio show was able to persuade top performers from Mexico to perform in live concerts for field workers from throughout the golden state.
After successfully executing hundreds of concerts, other performers from south of the border began to explore venues in the USA. Though on dialysis three times a week, Coco is making the trip to San Diego to record some promotional spots for Monkey Fingers' Studioworks located in south San Diego county. Most recent ly, Coco has retired as a city councilman for the town of Superior, Arizona. The former mining town is a small community located a few hours from Phoenix - Arizona (http://www.superior-arizona.com/). Coco will be in town from Tuesday through Friday; beyond his recordings he will also use the time to visit with family and friends in both San Diego and Tijuana.
Monkey Fingers' Studioworks is a multi-faceted studio operation that handles video, audio, Internet, film production and commercial photography. The founding partners have over 30 years experience in international marketing and media production. They have won multiple industry awards including an Emmy.
Monkey Fingers' integrates video production with Internet site development. Besides hosting multiple sites for many different companies and organizations, Monkey Fingers' is at the forefront of developing new technologies for multiple production platforms.
WHY MONKEY FINGERS?
The reason for the name: Monkey Fingers is our love for The Beatles. The term is used in their song: Come Together. The song title essentially describes our mission statement as a firm: To come together with all sorts of enterprises and deliver optimum quality in audio, video and Internet production:
With Our Apologies to THE BEATLES:
He wear no shoeshine - he got toe-jam football
He got monkey fingers - he shoot coca-cola
He say: "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me...
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